DEFENCE

NATO Forces (Balkans)

Nick Palmer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on restructuring NATO's forces in the Balkans; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: At our meeting in Brussels on 6 June, NATO Defence Ministers approved a series of changes to SFOR and KFOR following the Joint Operational Area (JOA) Review.
	The Review advocates a regional approach to NATO's peacekeeping operations in the Balkans, whereby both Bosnia and Kosovo will be treated, for military planning purposes, as a single theatre. The security situation in the Balkans has changed since the initial deployment of SFOR and KFOR. NATO's operations will be restructured accordingly, to provide a smaller, lighter and more flexible force that will be better able to meet current challenges.
	Implementation of the JOA Review will take place over the next 12 months. It is planned that, by the end of 2002, SFOR will reduce from some 18,000 to some 12,000 personnel and KFOR from some 38,000 to some 32,000. By June 2003, it is envisaged that KFOR will reduce further to some 29,000 troops. Responsibilities for support of civil implementation will be transferred to local authorities and other international organisations, as appropriate. The United Kingdom welcomes the outcome of this review.
	This reduction in troop numbers does not signal any reduction in NATO's commitment to the Balkans. Rather, these changes are a sign of the Alliance's achievements to date in bringing security and stability to the Balkans. The United Kingdom, with the rest of NATO, remains committed to the security and stability of the Balkans and will continue to play its full role in achieving the international community's objectives for the region.
	Individual nations are now considering and discussing with one another how to adjust their troop contributions in the light of the JOA Review.

Anthrax

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to offer immunisation against anthrax to the armed forces.

Geoff Hoon: Following the delay to the voluntary immunisation programme against anthrax that was caused by difficulties at the Centre for Applied Microbiological Research, which was supplying the vaccine, the programme was re-launched for personnel deployed to the Gulf in May 2001. But continuing uncertainty over the licensing of future supplies meant that it was not extended further to other members of the Armed Forces.
	The problems over the licensing of future supplies have now been resolved and the Ministry of Defence took delivery of the rest of the supplies that are required at the end of March this year. We are confident that there will be no difficulties with the future, large-scale production of the vaccine.
	It takes six months for immunisation against anthrax to become fully effective. But we may not have nearly so much warning of a change in the threat, nor of the requirement for British Armed Forces to deploy to a high threat area. Given that we cannot expect to predict exactly where or when a threat might arise, or which units of the Armed Forces might be called upon to respond. We have decided to expand the immunisation programme so that all Service personnel, including reserves, and those essential civilians who are likely to deploy on operations, are routinely offered immunisation against anthrax. We plan to expand the programme gradually over the next few years, beginning with those units that are held at the highest readiness.
	Immunisation against anthrax is safe and effective. As before, and in keeping with long-standing medical practice, it will be offered to personnel on the basis of voluntary informed consent. By accepting it alongside their other defensive measures, this will ensure that they have the very best protection against anthrax used as a biological weapon.

Performance Targets

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what performance targets have been set for the Defence Secondary Care Agency for the financial year 2002–03.

Lewis Moonie: Key Targets have been set for the Chief Executive of the Defence Secondary Care Agency (DCSA) for financial year 2002–03. The targets build on the progress already made by the Agency since it formed in April 1996, and are as follows:
	Key Target 1—The Operational Requirement
	From within the personnel resources provided to the DSCA by the single Services, to meet 100 per cent. of the requirement of the Commanders-in-Chief (CinCs) for secondary care personnel for operational deployments.
	Key Target 2—Outpatient Waiting Times
	To ensure that 45 per cent. of Service patients referred to the Agency are offered a first outpatient appointment within four weeks of receipt of a referral and 90 per cent. within 13 weeks.
	Key Target 3—Inpatient Waiting Times
	To ensure that 80 per cent. of Service patients are offered a treatment date which is within 13 weeks of the decision to give inpatient treatment.
	Key Target 4—Efficiency
	To implement revised medical equipment management policies and make savings of 10 per cent., or more, in the costs of procurement, support and associated training. Key Target 5—Military Training
	To ensure that 80 per cent. of all DSCA personnel, whose medical category permits, are released to receive their Service's annual mandatory military training.
	Key Target 6—Personnel for Exercises
	To ensure that 80 per cent. of DSCA personnel nominated to established posts in their Service's operational core requirement are released to attend appropriate exercises.
	Key Target 7—MQR Implementation
	To ensure that the Agency completes the tasks assigned to it by the Medical Quinquennial Review within agreed timescales, including the orderly and effective transfer of functions to other designated organisations and its closure on 31 March 2003.

Performance Targets

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what performance targets have been set for the Defence Medical Training organisation for the financial year 2002–03.

Lewis Moonie: Key Targets have been set for the Chief Executive of the Defence Medical Training Organisation (DMTO) for financial year 2002–03. The targets build on the progress already made by the Agency since it formed in April 1997, and are as follows: Key Target 1—Academic Success (Quality and Quantity) To achieve the following academic success rates:
	
		
			  Per cent. 
		
		
			 Phase 2 Training Course (formerly entitled Common Core Course) 96 
			 Specialist Registrars (SpR) 95 
			 Pre-Registration Nurses (PRN) 96 
		
	
	Key Target 2—Academic Success (Timeliness)
	The following percentage of trainees achieving academic success to be delivered on time, as agreed with the customer.
	
		
			  Per cent. 
		
		
			 Phase Two Training Course 
			 (at first attempt, remainder at second attempt—which normally is within three months 
			  96 
			 SpR 95 
			 PRN 98 
		
	
	Key Target 3—Implement the Recommendations of the Medical Quinquennial Review
	To implement the recommendations of the review in liaison with Surgeon General's change management team by 31 March 2003, to ensure that the new Defence Medical Education and Training Agency has full functionality with effect 1 April 2003.
	Key Target 4—Corporate Efficiency Target
	To achieve a 4.5 per cent. cumulative efficiency improvement demonstrate by the DMTO corporate efficiency index for 2002–03, using 1999–2000 as the baseline year.

Performance Targets

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what performance targets have been set for the Defence Dental Agency for the financial year 2002–03.

Lewis Moonie: Key Targets have been set for the Chief Executive of the Defence Dental Agency (DDA) for Financial Year 2002–03. The targets build on the progress already made by the Agency since it formed in March 1996, and are as follows.
	Key Target 1—The Operational Requirement
	From within personnel resources allocated to the DDA by single Services to achieve 100 per cent of personnel called forward, trained to required professional and military standards, at the specified readiness for deployment with the Joint Rapid Reaction Force and all operations.
	Key Target 2—Dental Risk
	To develop a SMART target (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Related) for Dental Risk categorisation by 31 March 2003.
	Key Target 3—Treatment Needs
	To reduce the Treatment Need Index (TNI) for each Service to the following:
	RN at or below 470;
	Army at or below 637;
	RAF at or below 330. Key Target 4—Dental Fitness Category D
	To reduce the number of personnel in Dental Fitness category D4 to zero by 31 March 2003.
	Key Target 5—Military Training
	To ensure that 80 per cent. of all DDA personnel, whose medical category permits, are released to undertake annual military training as specified by respective single Services.
	Key Target 6—Personnel for Exercises
	To ensure that 100 per cent. of all DDA personnel nominated to established posts in the operational core requirement of their parent Service are released to attend appropriate exercises.

Performance Targets

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what performance targets have been set for the Medical Supplies Agency for the financial year 2002–03.

Lewis Moonie: Key Targets have been set for the Chief Executive of the Medical Supplies Agency (MSA) for financial year 2002–03. The targets build on the progress already made by the Agency since it formed in March 1996 and are as follows:
	Key Target 1—Composite Medical Material
	To build, completely, to schedule and within budget, by 31 March 2003, 100 per cent. of all modules on the mutually agreed Operational Build Programme, as authorised by Surgeon General's Department (SGD).
	Key Target 2—The Operational Requirement
	To meet demands from units on active operations for blood products and scaled medical materiel, within the MSA Charter Response Time (Next Day–three Day) as follows:
	Within Charter Response Time—90 per cent.;
	Follow up (within five days)—97 per cent. Key Target 3—The Exercise and Training Requirement
	To meet 100 per cent of the Services requirements for modularised medical materiel, First Aid Kits, blood and blood products in support of exercises, training, Air Shows and other major events. Key Target 4—Response to Demands
	To meet demands for Category B items (commonly used items with a unit cost of less than #100 and approved by SGD) from units not on active operations, within the MSA Charter Response Times (Next Day–three day), as follows:
	Top 250 by value
	Within Charter Response Time—95 per cent.
	Follow up (within five days)—97 per cent.
	Overall
	Within Charter Response Time—90 per cent.
	Follow up (within five days)—97 per cent.
	Key Target 5—Stock Issued to Stock Held Ratio
	To improve the ratio of stock issued to stock held from 2.25 to 2.5.

Ministry of Defence Police

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the bases where a US station commander exercised day-to-day operational control over the Ministry of Defence police at (a) 1 May 1997 and (b) 1 June 2002.

Lewis Moonie: US Station Commanders are responsible for security at their Stations and exercise day to day operational control over the Ministry of Defence Police in respect of site security duties. The Senior Police officer is responsible to the Chief Constable MDP in respect of the exercise of constabulary powers. MDP officers are currently deployed at RAF Alconbury, RAF Fairford, RAF Hythe, RAF Lakenheath, RAF Menwith Hill, US Navy London (Eastcote) and RAF Welford. These sites also had a MDP detachment on 1 May 1997.

Ministry of Defence Police

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of Ministry of Defence police serving on US bases in the UK are provided accommodation free of rent.

Lewis Moonie: Eight MDP officers stationed at bases made available to US Forces currently occupy housing made available by the Department. Although the officers are not paying rent, the accommodation has been made available in lieu of the payment of housing allowance.

Ministry of Defence Police

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who is paying the costs of the Ministry of Defence police on detached duties at Menwith Hill Station and Fylingdales, including indirect costs incurred through their presence.

Lewis Moonie: All costs connected with MOD Police at RAF Fylingdales are met from the Defence Budget. The cost of the authorised complement of MDP at RAF Menwith Hill and related costs are recovered from the US Authorities. The complement was increased with effect from 1 February 2002. Until officers are posted in on a permanent basis to fill the newly completed posts, cover is maintained using officers on temporary detachment. Costs are recovered as though all posts were filled on a permanent basis, enhanced to cover the additional costs associated with the detached duty while it continues.

Accommodation Costs

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) of 11 March 2002 Official Report,  column 654W, on accommodation costs, what the cost was from April 2001 to March 2002 of hotel accommodation for departmental staff working away from home; how many members of staff were so accommodated in the year in question; and what the average cost was per paid-for night of these stays.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence does not hold data on hotel bookings and costs in the format requested. However it is possible to give the following figures for MoD civil servants who were required to be away from their homes on official business during the period April 2001 to March 2002:
	
		
			  # 
		
		
			 Total cost of hotel accommodation (B+B terms) 15,035,034 
			 Total number of nights accommodated in a hotel on duty 246,003 
			 Total number of bookings 79,655 
			 Average cost per night (B+B terms) 61.12 
		
	
	The total cost of #15 million quoted above differs from that given in my previous response. This is because the earlier figure was for the period May 2001 to April 2002 and was only a projected figure based on incomplete data.

HMS Invincible

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Indian Government concerning a possible sale of HMS Invincible.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence have had no discussions with the Indian Government concerning the possible sale of HMS Invincible.

Mr. Shaun Rusling

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons officials of his Department altered the medical appeal papers of Mr. Shaun Rusling, submitted to the Pensions appeal Tribunal; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Officials did not alter the medical appeal papers of Mr Shaun Rusling. Evidence was prepared for a Pensions Appeal Tribunal hearing on 10 September 1999. At that Tribunal further diagnoses for appeal were identified. This required preparation of a new set of papers for the further Tribunal hearing on 19 April 2002.

Empty Service Property

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent in each of the last three years on (a) rent and (b) maintenance of empty service family properties; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: An accurate breakdown of rental and maintenance costs between occupied and empty Service Families Accommodation (SFA) is not available. Because of Service mobility, turnover of occupancy tends to be high and some properties may have several occupants over a relatively short period and various empty spells between occupants. However, on a proportionate basis, the current vacancy rate would indicate expenditure in the broad order of #20 million per annum in rent and #9 million in maintenance. Corresponding figures for a year ago would be #23 million rent and #11 million maintenance, and two years ago when #27 million rent and #14 million maintenance.
	Of the current 8,600 empty properties in mainland UK, some 2,400 are in the course of disposal, 2,500 are held for future unit deployments and some 1,000 are empty awaiting modernisation. Others are available to incoming occupants or already under offer to them. Since January 2000, over 10,000 surplus properties have been disposed of.

Nuclear Test Veterans

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the legal action against his Department being taken by the New Zealand Nuclear Test Veterans Association.

Lewis Moonie: Although the Ministry of Defence is aware of previous press articles reporting that the New Zealand Test Veterans Association intended to mount a class action against HM Government, to date no such legal action has been taken.

Deysbrook Barracks

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with other Government Departments about possible future uses of Deysbrook Barracks, near Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Officials in Defence Estates have recently met with Government Office North West in connection with the disposal of the site and the planning application for residential and mixed-use development which is currently being considered by Liverpool City Council.
	An official from Defence Estates has also visited the site twice, once in March and once in April, with officials from the Home Office.
	No other discussions have taken place.

Media Relations Manager

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when James Clark is to start work in his Department as a media relations manager.

Lewis Moonie: Following an open competition run in accordance with Office of the Civil Service Commissioners' rules, Mr. Clark took up his appointment as a Communications Adviser working for the Director General Corporate Communications on Monday 10 June 2002.

TRANSPORT

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the EC-Poland Joint Transport Committee is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	This Committee is established under the provisions of an Agreement between the European Community and Poland establishing certain conditions for the carriage of goods by road and the promotion of combined transport. The remit of the Committee is to ensure that the proper implementation of the Agreement. The Committee would be made up of representatives appointed by the Community and Poland. But I am not aware that it has met in recent times or that there are any plans for it to meet in the immediate future.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the EC-Slovak Republic Joint Transport Committee is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	This committee is established under the provisions of an Agreement between the European Community and the Slovak Republic establishing certain conditions for the carriage of goods by road and the promotion of combined transport. The remit of the Committee is to ensure the proper implementation of the Agreement. The Committee would be made up of representatives appointed by the Community and the Slovak Republic. But I am not aware that it has met in recent times or that there are any plans for it to meet in the immediate future.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Joint Committee on the carriage of goods and passengers by inland waterway (EC-Czech Republic–Republic of Poland-Slovak Republic) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	I have not been able to identify the Committee referred to by the hon. Member.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the EC-Czech Republic Joint Transport Committee is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	This Committee is established under the provisions of an Agreement between the European Community and the Czech Republic establishing certain conditions for the carriage of goods by road and the promotion of combined transport. The remit of the Committee is to ensure the proper implementation of the Agreement. The Committee would be made up of representatives appointed by the Community and the Czech Republic. I am not aware of recent meetings or that there are any plans for it to meet in the immediate future.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the EC-Romania Joint Transport Committee is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	This Committee is established under the provisions of an Agreement between the European Community and Romania establishing certain conditions for the carriage of goods by road and the promotion of combined transport. The remit of the Committee is to ensure the proper implementation of the Agreement. The Committee would be made up of representatives appointed by the Community and Romania. I am not aware of recent meetings or that there are any plans for it to meet in the immediate future.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Committee for the implementation of the Regulation establishing an instrument for structural policies for pre-accession (ISPA) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

Clare Short: I have been asked to reply. 
	The mandate of the ISPA Committee is to oversee the implementation of Council Regulation EC Number 1267/1999, which established ISPA. This determines the strategy framework for ISPA, and approves annual and multi-annual allocations to country and regional programmes.
	The ISPA Committee has met three times in the last year. The UK is represented by the Department for International Development (DFID) and the UK Permanent Representation to the European Commission.
	The annual cost to public funds of the Committee's work principally comprises the work of DFID officials in assessing and discussing with the EC strategy and programme proposals, as well as the costs of attendance at meetings of the Committee. The precise amounts concerned are not readily available.
	The ISPA Committee recently considered a range of 19 environment and seven transport projects across the range of Candidate countries.
	Pre-accession programmes and/or work related to them are subject to scrutiny by Select Committees of Parliament. Under Council Decision 1999/468/EC the EC has undertaken to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first such report was deposited in the libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Commission Document 5685/02). We have encouraged the EC to make available on its website a record of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions.

Transport Modes

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the modal share of transport is by numbers of trips made.

David Jamieson: The percentage of transport trips by mode for those living in Great Britain, from the National Travel Survey for the period 1998–2000 (the most recent data) is as follows:
	
		
			 Main Mode Trips per person per year Percentage share 
		
		
			 Walk 271 26 
			 Bicycle 16 2 
			 Car driver 411 40 
			 Car passenger 228 22 
			 Motorcycle 3 — 
			 Other private 8 1 
			 Bus in London 13 1 
			 Other local bus 45 4 
			 Non-local bus 2 — 
			 LT underground 7 1 
			 Surface rail 12 1 
			 Taxi/minicab 12 1 
			 Other public 2 — 
			  
			 All modes 1,030 100

Fires at Sea

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many fires have occurred on vessels within 12 miles of the Scottish coastline in the last three years; and how many such incidents involved requests for assistance from coastal fire brigades.

David Jamieson: There have been 29 occasions reported in the last three years of fires occurring on commercially operated vessels within 12 miles of the Scottish coastline. Of these 29, 12 involved requests for assistance from coastal fire brigades. Statistics are not recorded for other types of vessels.

Dartford Thames Crossing

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his policy is on ending toll collections at the Dartford Thames Crossing; and to what timetable.

David Jamieson: The powers that permit tolling at the Dartford Crossing, contained in the Dartford Thurrock Crossing Act 1988, expire on 31 March 2003. However, it was announced on 4 April 2002 that we have decided to introduce a road user charging scheme at the Crossing using powers contained in the Transport Act 2000. The Act requires that the net revenues from the charging scheme be spent on transport projects. It is expected that the charging scheme will commence on 1 April 2003.

National Air Traffic Service

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the insurance industry concerning the availability of insurance cover for the National Air Traffic Service.

David Jamieson: There have been no recent discussions relating to insurance cover for National Air Traffic Services.

Galileo Project

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much the Government will spend on the Galileo Project in each of the next three years.

David Jamieson: The Galileo satellite navigation programme is funded and managed jointly by the European Community and the European Space Agency (ESA), and the UK is supporting the programme through its contributions to these organisations. The development and validation phase (2002–05), approved in March by the EU Transport Council, is estimated to cost Euro 1.1 billion. Negotiations within ESA over Member States' contributions to its Euro 550 million share of this have yet to be concluded.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Staff Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the Department has spent on staff training and development in each of the last five years.

Clare Short: In the last five years my Department's spending on staff training and development has been as follows.
	
		
			  # 
		
		
			 2001–02 2,466,066 
			 2000–01 2,041,755 
			 1999–2000 1,304,265 
			 1998–99 833,976 
			 1997–98 1,032,585 
		
	
	In addition, coaching and on the job training are regular features of the line management role but are not included in the overall financial cost for training and development.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bali Summit

Gillian Merron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the outcome of the Fourth Preparatory Committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Bali; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The Fourth Preparatory Committee meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development gives us a basis for the final run up to Johannesburg. Progress was made on a Programme of Action, which includes the importance of sanitation in eradicating poverty and meeting the Millennium Development Goal on safe drinking water. Broad agreement was also reached on key issues such as the urgent need to restore fish stocks and address illegal fishing, and on the important role non-governmental actors can play in achieving sustainable development. The meeting also recognised the need for a strong focus on Africa.
	Other difficult issues remain outstanding, such as how the Summit can address trade and finance issues to complement the Monterrey Consensus and the Doha Development Agenda. There are also specific targets on sanitation, biodiversity loss and energy, which have yet to be agreed. The UK will continue to work constructively with partners to ensure a successful outcome for Johannesburg, including concrete actions and coherent work programmes on energy, water and sustainable patterns of consumption and production.

Bali Summit

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) officials, (b) Ministers and (c) special advisers in her Department are travelling to Bali at public cost.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 20 May 2002
	There were 12 officials, one Minister and one special adviser travelling to the fourth preparatory meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Bali from DEFRA.

Rural Affairs

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings of the Forum for Rural Children and Young People have taken place; and what recommendations she has received from the Forum.

Alun Michael: The Forum for Rural Children and Young People meets quarterly and is supported by DEFRA via a grant from the Countryside Agency. The group is represented on the Rural Affairs Forum for England which I chair.
	The co-ordinator for the Forum for Rural Children and Young People—Andrew Brown—was appointed in September 2000. The Forum's Advisory Group includes representatives from most of the major voluntary sector bodies working with children and young people and observers from key Government departments, has held quarterly meetings since then. The Countryside Agency receives quarterly reports from the Forum and approves the Forum's annual report and work plan.
	The Forum is working closely with a number of key Government departments on issues involving children and young people. This includes XConnexions", the Children's Unit, and the Department of Health as well as DEFRA. Other work includes a XGuide to the Rural White Paper", and the production of a video, Experts in Their Fields, in which children and young people speak about their experiences of living in the countryside. Recently, the Forum has contributed to the cross-cutting review on Children at Risk. We have also established strong links between the Forum for Rural Children and Young People and the Rural Affairs Forum for England that I chair.
	I shall be meeting members of the Forum on Tuesday, 18 June.

Rural Affairs

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place the minutes of the Rural Affairs Forum meetings since January in the Library.

Alun Michael: The Rural Affairs Forum has met twice, on 9 January and 10 April. Copies of the minutes of these are available on DEFRA's website (http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/rafe/ index.htm), where we will post future minutes and meeting papers. Copies of the minutes of the first two meetings have been placed in the Library.

Rural Affairs

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the (a) first year and (b) average annual running costs of the proposals for the England Rural Development Programme advocated by the Policy Commission on the future of farming and food.

Alun Michael: The Commission made a wide range of recommendations relating to the England Rural Development Programme. These referred to the agri-environment schemes, to the Vocational Training Scheme, to the Processing and Marketing Grant, to Hill Farm Allowance, and to the Rural Enterprise Scheme. The commission also advocates a shift in the overall balance of Common Agricultural Policy support between production subsidies and rural development measures. The recommendations would involve a range of different timescales for implementation, and the administrative costs involved in each would depend on a number of further decisions on the manner of implementation. For that reason it is not possible at this stage to give an assessment of the costs of the Policy Commission recommendations as a whole. We will publish our response to the recommendations in the Autumn.

Abandoned Vehicles

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her proposals to penalise, deter and prevent abandoned vehicles; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: We are determined that keepers of vehicles should take full responsibility for them. The Finance Bill includes enabling powers to reform the vehicle registration and licensing system to improve the accuracy of the vehicle record and thus to ensure that those who abandon cars can more easily be brought to book. The Government intend to consult motoring groups and other stakeholders on detailed reforms. The maximum penalty for abandoning a vehicle is a fine of #2,500 or three months' imprisonment or both.

Imported Meat and Poultry

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from which countries meat and poultry products have been imported into the United Kingdom in the last three years.

Elliot Morley: The attached table shows the countries from which the UK imported meat and poultry products between 1999 and 2001, as recorded by the Official Overseas Trade Statistics.
	Official overseas trade data are subject to a degree of statistical error. Whilst overall level of errors will be low, there will be a much greater proportional effect on countries with low levels of trade. As such, great care is needed when interpreting the data.
	
		PQ 6418: UK imports of meat and meat products (1999–2001)
		
			  1999 2000 2001  
			 Country of despatch Thousand tonnes # million Thousand tonnes # million Thousand tonnes # million 
		
		
			 Netherlands 333.2 577.6 414.2 651.8 361.0 666.9 
			 Denmark 218.4 330.1 250.0 382.2 274.1 504.9 
			 Irish Republic 192.4 332.3 208.5 360.4 226.1 423.7 
			 France 155.6 231.3 142.4 216.9 141.0 228.5 
			 Brazil 81.6 124.0 97.7 145.5 124.1 190.0 
			 New Zealand 99.8 167.5 97.4 171.3 84.3 165.2 
			 Germany 43.6 75.6 58.7 106.9 79.5 143.5 
			 Belgium 42.4 72.6 43.6 77.6 42.5 81.8 
			 Thailand 23.6 44.9 28.9 58.5 41.4 83.6 
			 Australia 22.3 45.6 18.9 38.1 16.0 36.3 
			 Italy 14.7 42.0 14.2 4.8 24.4 65.9 
			 Spain 14.1 28.1 15.1 29.2 16.9 34.6 
			 Uruguay 11.3 21.7 9.6 20.9 10.0 16.5 
			 Argentina 10.1 18.0 10.5 19.6 6.6 11.8 
			 Botswana 6.2 17.5 5.7 16.9 11.2 30.5 
			 Namibia 6.7 22.8 5.7 19.9 8.6 29.0 
			 Zimbabwe 6.5 16.2 5.9 14.8 4.6 10.4 
			 USA 3.8 7.8 3.8 8.3 2.3 5.3 
			 Sweden 3.8 3.1 1.7 1.7 3.0 4.4 
			 Chile 1.8 3.2 2.5 5.1 4.2 7.8 
			 Poland 1.8 4.2 1.7 4.2 1.9 4.8 
			 Hungary 0.9 2.3 0.8 2.1 2.4 6.3 
			 Croatia 0.7 1.0 0.8 1.0 0.7 1.2 
			 Slovenia 0.5 1.0 0.7 1.0 0.8 1.3 
			 Israel 0.1 0.3 0.4 0.9 1.0 1.8 
			 Portugal 0.2 0.1 1.0 0.8 0.2 0.3 
			 Switzerland 0.0 0.1 0.7 0.9 0.4 0.6 
			 Mauritius 0.7 1.0 0.4 0.5 0.0 0.0 
			 Swaziland 0.3 0.5 0.6 1.7 0.1 0.2 
			 Finland 0.2 0.1 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.3 
			 South Africa 0.3 0.8 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.6 
			 Japan   0.7 1.6 0.1 0.2 
			 Greece 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.5 0.3 0.6 
			 Austria 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.4 1.4 
			 Singapore 0.3 0.8 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 
			 Iceland 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.3 0.3 
			 Canada 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 
			 China 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 Paraguay 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.2 
			 Hong Kong 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 
			 Russia 0.0 0.0   0.0 0.0 
			 Norway 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 
			 Cayman Islands   0.0 0.1 
			 Dominica   0.0 0.1 
			 Luxembourg   0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Mozambique 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Panama   0.0 0.1 
			 Turkey 0.0 0.0   0.0 0.0 
			 Czech Republic 0.0 0.0 
			 Faroe Islands   0.0 0.0 
			 Jamaica   0.0 0.0 
			 Uganda 0.0 0.0 
			 India 0.0 0.0   0.0 0.0 
			 Vietnam 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Indonesia 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Columbia 0.0 0.0 
			 Malaysia   0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Nigeria 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Burkina 0.0 0.0 
			 South Korea 0.0 0.0 
			 Barbados 0.0 0.0 
			 Eritrea   0.0 0.0 
			 Pakistan 0.0 0.0 
			 Antigua & Barbuda 0.0 0.0 
			 Trinidada & Tobago 0.0 0.0 
			 Taiwan 0.0 0.0 
			 Dubai 0.0 0.0 
			 Qatar 0.0 0.0 
		
	
	Nb. Figures rounded to one decimal place. A blank entry indicates no recorded imports for that year. Crown Copyright.
	Source:
	HM Customs and Excise
	Data prepared by Statistics (Commodities and Food) Account and Trade, ESD, DEFRA.
	2001 EU data is provisional and subject to amendment.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Management Committee of the common organisation of agricultural markets for oils and fats is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The mandate of the Management Committee for oils and fats is to assist the Commission in the management of the common organisation of the market for oils and fats as established by Article 37 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 136/66. The Committee has met 17 times over the last 12 months and one official attends; the cost of this attendance to public funds over the last year was #8,500. The Committee considers matters relating to the management of the market for fats and oils.
	Together with Member States, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to Xsimplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agenda and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Peat

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when peat cutting will end at (a) Thorne Moor, (b) Wedholme Flow and (c) Hatfield Manor.

Michael Meacher: Commercial peat cutting has already ceased on sites previously operated by the Scotts Company (UK) Ltd at Thorne Moor and Wedholme Flow. Peat cutting on Hatfield Moor will cease by 30 September 2004. Until then cutting of peat at Hatfield Moor will be subject to revised operating protocols agreed between the operator and English Nature that will be set so as to achieve enhanced restoration of the site.

National Parks

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the review of National Park authorities will be completed.

Alun Michael: We expect to complete the review next month.

Devolution

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to review the way in which Scottish agriculture issues are dealt with by the UK Government at the EC level.

Elliot Morley: Holding answer 10 June 2002
	As necessary, this Department will continue to deal with Scottish agricultural issues at the EU level in accordance with the provisions of the XMemorandum of Understanding and supplementary agreements between the United Kingdom Government, Scottish Ministers and the Cabinet of the National Assembly for Wales" (Cm 4444) and a bilateral concordat with the Scottish Executive.

Devolution

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions her Department had with the Scottish Executive in formulating the UK's negotiating position on the mid-term review of the CAP.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 June 2002
	The UK's negotiating position on the mid-term review of the CAP is the subject of an ongoing dialogue between this Department and the devolved administrations. It is, for example, a recurring item for discussion between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and Agriculture Ministers from the devolved administrations at their regular meetings, most recently on 22 May 2002.

Devolution

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether a Scottish Executive Minister will be a member of the UK delegation to the Agriculture European Union Council of Ministers meeting on 27 May; and what information is being provided by her Department to the Scottish Executive in connection with pre-council scrutiny by the European Committee of the Scottish Parliament.

Elliot Morley: No Scottish Executive Minister attended the EU Agriculture Council meeting on 27 May. As regards pre-Council scrutiny by the Scottish Parliament, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 24 April 2002, Official Report, column 276W.

Biosecurity (South Korea)

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the risks of foot and mouth disease being brought into the United Kingdom by (a) travellers and (b) goods from South Korea.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 June 2002
	South Korea is not a country that is authorised to export meat or animals to the European Union. We have received veterinary advice that there is no significant risk of football fans or other travellers bringing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) back from South Korea. We understand that all South Korean World Cup stadia are a long distance from the affected areas and most games will be played in Japan, which does not have FMD.

Biosecurity (South Korea)

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to improve the biosecurity arrangements for the arrival at ports of (a) travellers and (b) goods from South Korea.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 June 2002
	Veterinary advice is that the risk of travellers bringing foot and mouth disease back from South Korea is not significant. We have, however, issued advice in recent weeks via the Football Association website and the British Consulate in Seoul to advise travellers not to visit farms, and to either keep to the current personal import allowance of 1kg of meat cooked in a hermetically sealed container or, preferably, to bring no meat at all. We have also advised our port and airport enforcement authorities of the outbreak of foot and mouth in South Korea. These measures are in addition to those announced in our Action Plan of 28 March which sets out measures to reduce the risk of animal and plant diseases entering the country.

Foot and Mouth

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information the former Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food obtained in 2001 about sheep movements from Longtown market, Cumbria; whether any of that information was subsequently mislaid by the Department; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food obtained a great deal of information about sheep movements form Longtown Market, both by consulting the Market's paper records and by discussions with the staff involved. At no time was any of the information mislaid by the Department and all information obtained was followed up.

Abattoirs

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on small abattoirs of the introduction under S.I., 2002, No. 843 of a requirement that the vertebral column from cattle over 30 months should be removed in licensed cutting plants.

Elliot Morley: A Regulatory Impact Assessment for the TSE (England) Regulation 2002 (S.I. 2002/843) is placed in the libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

Illegal Meat Imports

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much illegal imported meat was confiscated in the last financial year.

Elliot Morley: We are still receiving data from the enforcement agencies about animal products seized in the last financial year. As at 6 June 2002, we have been advised that the weight of produce seized since 1 April 2001 is about 60 tonnes. We are unable to provide a precise weight of the volume of meat seized because weight has not always been provided and some consignments contain more than one type of product. We estimate however, that about 43 tonnes of the produce seized contained meat.

Illegal Meat Imports

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many arrests there were in respect of the illegal import of foodstuffs in each of the last 12 months;
	(2)  when she will reply to the question from the hon. Member for North Norfolk tabled on 1 May, reference 54851.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 8 May 2002
	Last year, HM Customs and Excise arrested three people for offences under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) involving illegal meat imports. Of these, two were convicted of a CITES offence, both received prison sentences of four months. The third person was acquitted but convicted under a separate Animal Health charge resulting in a penalty of a conditional discharge for one year and costs of #100.

Nitrates

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to consult farmers and growers about the Government's proposed changes to the designation methodology for nitrate vulnerable zones.

Michael Meacher: Details of the methodology used to identify potential new Nitrate Vulnerable Zones were set out in Annexe A of the recent consultation paper XHow should England implement the 1991 Nitrates Directive?".
	We are currently considering all the issues raised responses to the consultation, including comments on this methodology, and hope to make an announcement soon about how we will proceed.

Nitrates

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will place in the Library a detailed statement in the changes in methodology that she is applying now to the designation of nitrate vulnerable zones compared with the methodology employed at the time of earlier designations;
	(2)  what the scientific basis is for the Government's changes to the designation methodology for nitrate vulnerable zones.

Michael Meacher: Below is a table that explains the scientific development of the methodology used to identify Nitrate Vulnerable Zones between the time that the first designations were made in 1996 and the publication of our consultation paper XHow should England implement the 1991 Nitrates Directive?" in December 2001.
	
		Developments in methodology for identifying nitrate vulnerable zones
		
			  1996 Methodology Proposals set out in XHow Should England Implement the 1991 Nitrates Directive?", DEFRA December 2001 
		
		
			 Surfacewater NVZs 
			 More comprehensive monitoring network, covering all waters, not just drinking water abstraction points. 491 monitoring points established under Drinking Water Directive (1975). Environment Agency's (EA) General Quality Assessment (GQA) network. Over 7,000 monitoring points established for assessing river water quality. 
			 More data for each monitoring point. One year's data. 5 year dataset (1996–2000) enables a more robust statistical approach to identifying pollution. 
			 Trend analysis to identify waters which Xcould contain 50 mg/litre nitrate" if action not taken. — Robust statistical technique to identify any additional waters which would be expected to become polluted by 2004 (date of next monitoring review required by Directive), based on 10-year dataset (1990–2000). 
			 Designation as NVZ of all land draining into polluted waters. Only land draining directly into the polluted water was identified as an NVZ. Land draining into the polluted water via a tributary was excluded. All land in catchment draining into polluted waters identified as an NVZ, as nitrate leaching from any of this land contributes to the pollution. Precise upstream catchment area identified using hydrologically accurate model and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). 
			 Eutrophic NVZs 
			 Designation of eutrophic area NVZs. Criteria for identifying eutrophic waters developed, but not applied in time for 1996 designations. Criteria applied to identify estuarine/coastal areas where agricultural nitrate contributes to eutrophication. 
			 Groundwater NVZs 
			 Extend coverage beyond just drinking water boreholes to all groundwaters. Monitoring data from Water Supply boreholes. All available public and private borehole monitoring data has been gathered and fed into the development of a GIS-based groundwater vulnerability model to identify land draining into all high nitrate, highly vulnerable groundwater areas. Scientifically robust, developed by EA's National Groundwater Centre and a consortium of consultants including University of East Anglia's School of Environmental Sciences.

Nitrates

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she has (a) sought and (b) plans to seek advice from the European Commission on the legality of designating the whole of England as a nitrate vulnerable zone under Article 3(5) of the EC Nitrates Directive while different approaches are pursued in respect of Scotland and Wales.

Michael Meacher: We have kept the European Commission informed of the options that we are considering for implementing the Nitrates Directive, which were set out in our consultation document XHow should England implement the 1991 Nitrates Directive?". We are currently considering responses to the consultation and hope to make an announcement soon about how we will proceed, at which point we will inform the Commission further.

Nitrates

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the proposals by the Scottish and Welsh executives for the implementation of the EC Nitrates Directive; and if she intends to apply the (a) Scottish and (b) Welsh approaches to the Directive in her policy for its implementation in England.

Michael Meacher: The Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales both intend to implement the EC Nitrates Directive through applying Action Programme measures within discrete Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs). This is one of the options set out in our consultation document XHow should England implement the 1991 Nitrates Directive?". We are currently considering responses to the consultation and hope to make an announcement soon about how we will proceed.

Food Standards Agency

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the advice that she received from the Food Standards Agency in respect of the implementation of Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001.

Elliot Morley: The Food Standards Agency has a clear interest in many of the areas covered by Regulation (EC) 999/2001 laying down the rules on the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and was consulted throughout the creation of a Statutory Instrument for the enforcement and administration of the Regulation.
	The Chairman of the Food Standards Agency has also advised Lord Whitty on the implementation of Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001. Information about his advice is available on the following web site: http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/64890.

Fly-tipping

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many successful prosecutions there were in (a) England and Wales, (b) Greater London and (c) Enfield for fly-tipping in each of the last five years; what steps she is taking to strengthen protection against this activity; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: Local authorities and the Environment Agency may prosecute for fly-tipping offences. Between 1996 and 2001, the Agency recorded prosecutions for general waste offences on a financial year basis. The data do not distinguish fly-tipping offences from other waste offences. From 1 April 1999, the Agency recorded, on a regional basis, whether an incident involves the unlawful deposit of waste, and whether prosecutions led to convictions or acquittals. This information is given below, but is not broken down within a region. No central register is kept of local authorities' prosecutions.
	
		Prosecutions (England & Wales)
		
			  General waste offences Unlawful deposit of waste 
		
		
			 1996–1997 241  
			 1997–1998 345  
			 1998–1999 367  
			 1999–2000 342 219 
			 2000–2001 439 225 
			 2001–2002  264 
		
	
	
		Convictions (England & Wales)
		
			  Unlawful deposit of waste 1 
		
		
			 1999–2000 211 
			 2000–2001 210 
			 2001–2002 253 
		
	
	
		Convictions (Thames Region)
		
			  Unlawful deposit of waste1 
		
		
			 1999–2000 25 
			 2000–2001 30 
			 2001–2002 43 
		
	
	1 Prosecutions under section 33(1)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990
	There are stringent controls in place to deal with fly tipping, which is a criminal offence. In the event of a conviction, severe penalties are available to the courts, including an unlimited fine and/or imprisonment of up to 5 years. The Environment Agency or the local authority have powers to remove fly-tipped waste and to recover their costs from those responsible.
	The Agency is currently working to establish a central unit to co-ordinate its approach to environmental crime. This unit will work with other key enforcement bodies, such as local authorities, the Police and HM Customs and Excise, and will target particular environmental and economic threats such as fly tipping.

Radioactive Waste

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Royal Society's report on developing UK policy for the management of radioactive waste.

Margaret Beckett: The Royal Society's response is one of 330 replies to the consultation paper Managing radioactive waste safely published last September by the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. We are evaluating the responses, and we shall shortly publish a summary as well as announcing what we plan to do next.

Waste Management

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which organisations are responsible for clearing (a) hazardous and (b) non-hazardous items left through fly-tipping; what ability local councils have to charge organisations for the removal of items; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 10 June 2002
	Section 59 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 provides local authorities, as waste collection authorities, and the Environment Agency, as the waste regulation authority, with certain powers to require the removal of hazardous and non-hazardous fly tipped waste, or to remove it themselves. Under this section, local authorities and the Agency have the power to recover their costs incurred in removing any such waste from the occupier of the land in question, unless the occupier proves that he neither made, not knowingly caused, nor knowingly permitted the deposit of the waste. In any case the authorities may recover their costs from the person who deposited the waste.

World Summit on Sustainable Development

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what role she played in ensuring the views of women's organisations are heard at the forthcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Michael Meacher: The Government are working to engage all stakeholders as part of the preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Women are one of the nine key stakeholder groups identified in Agenda 21 and we have been in consultation with womens' groups to involve them in the preparations for the Summit.
	DEFRA officials have met with representatives from Women's Institute to discuss their postcard campaign XWhat Women Want" which is featured on the Government's sustainable development website (www.sustainable-development.gov.uk). Margaret Beckett has agreed to meet Baroness Crawley, chairwomen of the Women's National Commission, to discuss with her how the groups she represents can become more closely involved with the preparations for the Summit.
	DEFRA officials have also been working closely with colleagues from the Cabinet Office Women's and Equality Unit to identify ways to raise awareness of the Summit specifically across womens' groups.

Correspondence

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) median, (b) upper and (c) lower decile times taken to reply fully to letters received (i) from hon. Members and (ii) from all sources were in each month since June 2001.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 21 May 2002
	The information requested for part (i) is in the table below (in days):
	
		
			 Month Median Lower Decile Upper Decile 
		
		
			 June 2001 40.5 12.3 182.0 
			 July 2001 72.0 21.0 168.0 
			 August 2001 79.0 29.0 151.0 
			 September 2001 45.0 18.0 116.0 
			 October 2001 40.0 16.0 102.4 
			 November 2001 41.0 16.0 1 
			 December 2001 43.0 20.0 1 
			 January 2002 23.0 8.0 1 
			 February 2002 18.0 3.0 1 
			 March 2002 14.0 3.0 1 
			 April 2002 19.5 5.0 1 
		
	
	1 It is not yet possible to calculate the upper (90 per cent) decile for these months.
	Figures are not available for part (ii), as there is no information held centrally for the time taken to answer letters from all sources and its assembly would incur disproportionate cost.

Age Discrimination

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will list for each NDPB or agency sponsored by her Department (a) the maximum retirement age adopted for most employees, and that age and (b) whether they have a policy of not considering applications for employment by persons over a particular age, and that age;
	(2)  if (a) her Department and (b) its agencies have a policy of not considering applications for employment by persons over a particular age.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 June 2002
	The Department and the Agencies it sponsors have a common policy on retirement age. The normal retirement age is 60 although staff in Administrative Officer and Administrative Assistant grades may stay on until the age of 65, no age bar is set on applications for employment beyond the retirement age for the grade in question.
	The normal retirement age for members of the Senior Civil Service is determined by the Cabinet Office and is currently 60. Heads of Departments and Agency Chief Executives have some flexibility to retain members of the Senior Civil Service beyond the age of 60 in exceptional circumstances subject to the approval of the Head of the Home Civil Service for the Senior Appointments Selection Committee (SASC) Group.
	It is for individual Non Departmental Public Bodies to determine their own policies about the age limits of those they employ, in accordance with existing equal opportunities legislation and good practice guidelines.

Wildlife Projects

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which global wildlife projects her Department has funded in 2001–02.

Michael Meacher: In addition to funding for the Darwin Initiative, my Department paid a total of #1.212 million in 2001–02 on assessed contributions to a number of international conservation Conventions and Agreements, and on voluntary payments to those conventions' grants funds to finance specific initiatives. The projects supported are listed below.
	United Nations Environment Programme
	Great Ape Survival Project (GrASP)
	Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
	Bushmeat working group
	Seahorse workshop
	Range State meeting for the hawksbill turtle
	Convention on Migratory Species and Related Agreements
	Contribution to the costs of a range state meeting and set-up costs for the Memorandum of Understanding for the conservation and management of marine turtles in the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia
	The production of a brochure on Bactrian camels
	Guidelines on avoidance of introduction of non-native migratory waterbirds
	A study on the potential impacts of marine fisheries on migratory waterbirds
	Rehabilitation of important sites for migratory waterbirds, which have been degraded by invasive species of aquatic weeds
	Surveys on cetacean abundance and seismic surveys have been supported under the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas (ASCOBANS)
	A project to establish effective national bat conservation and monitoring programmes in Romania and Moldova under the Agreement on the Conservation of Bats in Europe (Eurobats).
	Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
	Western Palaearctic Waterbird Monitoring Programme
	Contribution to the Ramsar small grants fund
	IUCN—the World Conservation Union
	Species Specialist Group on African Elephants
	Species Specialist Group on Sharks
	In addition we made contributions to the costs of the General Assembly of the Global Tiger Forum and to the Flagship Species Fund.

Darwin Initiative

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding, broken down by project and amount, was provided by her Department through the Darwin Initiative in each of the last five years.

Michael Meacher: The Darwin Initiative is a #3 million annual programme of grants which was launched at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. It uses UK expertise to help countries that are rich in biodiversity but poor in resources to help safeguard the world's biodiversity. Information on the total funding for each project is contained in the reports on the Darwin Initiative covering the periods from 1997–98 to 2000–01. The first three are already available in the House of Commons Library. I am arranging for copies of the fourth report to be placed in the House Library. The fifth Annual report, covering the period 2001 to 2002 will be published on 17 June 2002. I will also arrange for a copy to be placed in the House Library.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Subtitling/Sign Language

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to introduce for full TV licence fee payers the opportunity to receive a full service with the option of (a) 100 per cent. subtitling and (b) British Sign Language translation.

Kim Howells: holding answer Monday 10 June 2002
	Statutory requirements for the provision of subtitling on Channel 3 and Channel 5, and for the provision of subtitling and sign language translation on digital terrestrial television (DTT) services are included in the 1990 and 1996 Broadcasting Acts respectively. The targets for DTT services are that 80 per cent. of programming should be subtitled and 5 per cent. signed by the tenth anniversary of the start of the service. The recently published draft Communications Bill (Cm 5508–1) extends these targets on DTT to digital cable and digital satellite channels.
	In setting these targets, we have aimed to strike the right balance between practicability and benefit. It would be extremely difficult and expensive to meet 100 per cent. targets. In addition, there are a number of unresolved technical issues in the development of a reliable closed signing system, and resultant problems caused by open signing. We believe that the current targets are challenging but achievable, but will keep them under regular review.

Computers

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many computers were replaced in her Department in each of the past three years; how the replaced units were disposed of and by which companies; and at what cost.

Kim Howells: My Department replaced two computers in 1999–2000, 23 in 2000–01 and 327 in 2001–02. All machines were disposed of through our outsourced service provider, SchlumbergerSema, and the proceeds from the disposal of the equipment was used to offset future purchases. There was no cost to the Department.

Ministerial Visits

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she last visited (a) Wembley, (b) Coventry and (c) Birmingham.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last visited Coventry on 19 March 2002 to attend the Cultural Services conference organised by the Local Government Association. She has yet to visit either Wembley or Birmingham in an official capacity but she has visited both during recent months on party business or in a personal capacity.

Public Consultations

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the public consultations undertaken by her Department since June 2001, stating in each case the (a) number of respondents and (b) percentage of those specifically consulted who responded.

Kim Howells: holding answer Monday 10 June 2002
	The Department is actively following the Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Written Consultation. The table below lists the public consultations carried out by the Department since June 2001, indicating (a) the number of respondents and (b) the approximate percentage of those specifically consulted who responded where known.
	
		
			 Document Name Date (a) Number of Responses (b) Percentage of those specifically consulted who responded 
		
		
			 Consultation of cricket bodies on measures to address disorder July 2001 9 100% 
			 Report of the Gambling Review Body 17 July 2001 4,996 Not known 
			 National Museum of Science & Industry Review: stage one consultation 1 August 2001 44 16% 
			 Geffrye Museum/Horniman Museum/Museum of London Review: stage one consultation 8 August 2001 50 57% 
			 Consultation on the draft Digital Television Action Plan 12 October 2001 36 52% 
			 English Heritage Review: stage one consultaiton 16 October 2001 136 40% 
			 National Maritime Museum Quinquennial Performance Review 22 November 2001 14 14% 
			 Consultation on Media Ownership Rules 26 November 2001 8,093 22% 
			 Public Lending Right. Quinquennial Performance Review: Consultation Paper 13 November 2001 49 85% 
			 Fixed Term Directive November 2001 30 56% 
			 Quinquennial Review on the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art 19 November 50 14% 
			 Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester Quinquennial Performance Review 5 December 2001 42 56% 
			 Spectrum Planning Consultation 11 December 2001 52 36% 
			 Council of Europe—Convention on the Protection of Audiovisual Heritage 20 December 2001 32 86% 
			 Review of Progress towards digital switchover 14 February 2002 11 11% 
			 The Draft Communication Bill 7 May 2002 Not yet completed  
			 Regent's Park Sports Facilities Consultation March 2002 151 35% 
			 Changes to Licensing Hours during All New Year's Eve 24 April 2002 Not yet completed  
			 UK's Open General Export Licensing (OGEL) Limits April 2002 Not yet completed  
			 Prize Competitions 23 May 2002 Not yet completed

Sports/Leisure Database

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made in the establishment of a national database of sports and leisure facilities for England; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Information on sports facilities in England is currently held by a variety of organisations and a single database will enable more strategic Government investment in those areas and facilities which are most important. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Sport has recently written to Ministerial colleagues at the DfES, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department of Health, Home Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Local Government Association seeking their views on the scope, content and funding of the proposed database of sports facilities in England.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Science Funding

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria she will use to decide the allocation of science spending between the research councils and the universities.

Alan Johnson: In allocating the Science Budget, my right hon. Friend takes into account the strategic needs of the UK's science and engineering base, and aim to maximise the contribution it makes towards innovation, economic growth, enhanced quality of life, and a more sustainable environment.

Automotive Industry

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent measures she has taken to support the automotive industry.

Alan Johnson: Last month I announced a package of #45 million for the automotive sector to include an automotive academy, two centres of automotive excellence, and support for cross-regional supply chains as a first step to implementing the recommendations of the Automotive Innovation and Growth Team. In 2001 the Department delivered Regional Selective Assistance and Training grant offers totalling #35 million. The Department also spent about #2 million last year on various other projects to promote competitiveness and productivity improvements in the sector. The Department is continuing to support process improvements through the SMMT Industry Forum and research and development through the Foresight Vehicle Programme with commitments to date exceeding #13 million.

Industrial Relations

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the impact of union recognition on industrial relations in the last two years.

Alan Johnson: Indications suggest that the statutory procedure for trade union recognition has had a positive effect on industrial relations and has encouraged the voluntary settlement of requests for recognition. The Government will examine the operation of the statutory procedure as part of the forthcoming review of the Employment Relations Act 1999.

EU Enlargement

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment she has made of the impact of EU enlargement on UK business.

Melanie Johnson: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I made to my hon. Friend the Member for Greenock and Inverclyde (David Cairns) earlier today.

Post Office Network

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the rural post office network.

Stephen Timms: The Government are committed to the maintenance of a nationwide network of post offices and placed a formal requirement on the Post Office in November 2000 to maintain the network and to prevent any avoidable closures of rural post offices.
	The Government have already invested in modernisation comprising some #480 million to computerise the whole post office network. We have made available a #2 million fund to support volunteer and community initiatives to maintain or re-open post office facilities in rural areas where traditional services would otherwise close. Figures for end May 2002, showed that 64 applications—to a value of #500,000—had been assessed and approved and to that date payments of #231,000 had also been made.
	In addition, we have received advice form the Postal Services Commission on transitional financial assistance and proposals for the rural network are being developed in the context of that advice.

Office of Science and Technology

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what priorities she has identified for the Office of Science and Technology for the next three years.

Patricia Hewitt: The OST supports me in my role as the Cabinet-level minister with responsibility for science. It helps me deliver our policies on science, as set out in Excellence and Opportunity, the Science and Innovation White Paper, which identified our priorities as excellence in science, opportunities for innovation, and confident consumers. It also helps me to deliver against my Department's Public Service Agreement Objective II, namely to make the most of the UK's science, engineering and technology.

Social Enterprises

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she is taking to support social enterprises in the north-west.

Alan Johnson: The Strategy for Social Enterprise, to be published in the summer, will address the support that is available to social enterprise throughout the country. It will build on some of the excellent work that is already being done in the regions to facilitate the growth and development of social enterprise.
	In the North West, the North West Development Agency aims to invest at least #2 million per annum by 2004–05 on strategic measures to support social enterprise. A package of projects to support social enterprise on Merseyside has been developed to which the Agency is contributing, together with regional partners and EU funding.

Consumer Protection (Software)

Barbara Follett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures her Department is taking to protect consumers' interests in the software market.

Melanie Johnson: Sale of goods and supply of services legislation provides a wide range of protection to consumers in the software market.

Manufacturing (West Midlands)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her policy is on encouraging manufacturing in the West Midlands.

Alan Johnson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State published a document on 16 May setting out the Government's Manufacturing Strategy. I understand this has been broadly welcomed in the West Midlands.

Small Businesses

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further measures she is taking to tackle the problems caused to small businesses by late payment of invoices.

Nigel Griffiths: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Caerphilly (Mr. David).

Postal Services (Competition)

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations she has had with the CWU regarding potential job losses following Postcomm's plans to introduce competition into the postal market.

Stephen Timms: Consignia, or Royal Mail as it will be known in future, is losing #1.2 million a day. Cost saving measures, to put the company on a firmer footing, are a matter for the Board in consultation with the unions.
	Ministers have met representatives of the CWU on a number of occasions when a range of issues was discussed. I met the General Secretary on 5 June following publication of the Postcomm proposals.
	Postcomm's decision on competition in the postal market published last month takes account of responses to the consultation from stakeholders, including Consignia and the CWU, and the Government welcome this.

Competition

Harry Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to strengthen United Kingdom competition policy.

Melanie Johnson: UK competition policy will be strengthened by the provisions in the Enterprise Bill, which was introduced into Parliament on 26 March 2002.

Women Incentive Network

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she is taking to prevent the activities of the Women Incentive Network.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department and Trading Standards Officers are aware of the existence of the Women Incentive Network. It appears to be a gifting scheme, like XWomen Empowering Women". My hon. Friend the Minister for Competition, Consumer and Market's letter of 15 September to the hon. Member set out the Department's position on such schemes.

Construction Industry

Richard Page: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her objectives are in sponsoring the construction industry.

Brian Wilson: The Department is seeking to establish a culture of continuous improvement in the construction industry, leading to improvements in productivity, competitiveness, and quality of delivery. The industry is key to the delivery of our investment plans aimed at improving quality of life.
	We are taking forward three key policy initiatives as part of our improvement agenda with the industry:
	First, Rethinking Construction proves the business case for change and delivers a culture of continuous improvement. In partnership with the industry we are using demonstration projects, case studies and best practice dissemination to show the practical steps construction companies can take to improve their productivity and competitiveness and whereby clients can demand products which offer best value and enhance their own performance. We have agreed to continue the initiative until April 2004.
	Second, my Department supports a substantial programme of construction-related innovation and research to support industry improvement. Sir John Fairclough, a former government chief scientist, has recently conducted a review of how we should best provide that support in the future. The report establishes an excellent framework for improving the effectiveness of construction research. We are consulting the industry on how we can work with them to take forward the recommendations.
	Finally, through the Quality Mark Scheme, we will enable builders to demonstrate their competence and to distinguish themselves from their less reputable rivals. The Scheme will be rolled out across the country over a three to four year period.

Climate Change Levy

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the manufacturing industry on the costs of the climate change levy.

Brian Wilson: The Government are continuing to keep in touch with business on the climate change levy to monitor experience with its operation. Primary responsibility for the levy lies with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	The Budget proposals for the levy show Her Majesty's Government's readiness to listen to industry views and to amend the levy's design, where justified. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the Budget that he proposed to:
	introduce complete exemption from the levy for electricity from good quality combined heat and power and from coal mine methane, subject to EU state aid approval;
	add new areas of energy saving technology to the list of those benefiting from enhanced capital allowances; and
	introduce a new relief for certain recycling processes that compete with processes that benefit from the dual-use or non-fuel use exemptions.
	In addition, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has also proposed that the levy rates are to be frozen this year.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made on her Department's review of the economic benefits of the Export Credits Guarantee Department; and when it will be completed.

Patricia Hewitt: Good progress is being made on the review of the economic benefits of ECGD, and we are expecting the majority of the work to be completed by the Summer.

Unsolicited Mail

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has had on the subject of unsolicited mail.

Melanie Johnson: I have received a large amount of correspondence from the public about unsolicited mail. Unsolicited mail can be a legitimate marketing technique but it can also be a nuisance and includes deliberate scams. Action can be taken by registering with MPS and by enforcement bodies where scams are involved.

Accommodation Costs

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Buckingham, of 11 March, Official Report, column 699W, on accommodation costs, what the cost was from April 2001 to March 2002 of hotel accommodation for departmental staff working away from home; how many members of staff were so accommodated in the year in question; and what the average cost was per paid-for night of these stays.

Patricia Hewitt: From April 2001 to March 2002, the average cost per night of hotel accommodation for DTI staff working away from home was #80.10.
	The DTI has devolved to local management the authorisation of travel claims for its staff, subject to checking procedures. It does not record details of the number of staff requiring hotel accommodation when working away from home. To provide the information requested would entail disproportionate cost.

Advertising Campaigns

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent on press and advertising campaigns in 2001–02; and what the planned expenditure is for 2002–03.

Patricia Hewitt: The DTI spent #6,534,426 on all forms of advertising through COI in 2001–02. This figure, which is subject to audit confirmation, includes the COI rebate, but excludes VAT. Advertising expenditure in 2002–03 will be determined by individual programme budget holders; this information is not held centrally and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the mandate of the Committee for the implementation of the multi-annual Community action plan on promoting the safe use of the internet is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: The Internet Action Plan Programme Committee was established by Decision 276/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 January 1999, adopting a multi-annual Community action plan on promoting safer use of the Internet by combating illegal and harmful content on global networks. The Committee has met three times over the past 12 months: on 11 September 2001, 22 February 2002 and 28 May 2002.
	It is not possible to calculate the cost to public funds of the work of the Committee without incurring disproportionate cost. The programme develops self-regulatory approaches to dealing with illegal or harmful content. Issues currently under consideration are: the selection and funding of awareness and hotline proposals, the terms of reference of the call for tender for the final evaluation of the present programme, and a proposal for a two year extension to the programme.
	Together with Member States, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC to Xsimplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (COM(2001)783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the mandate of the Management Committee on Horizontal Questions Concerning Trade in Agricultural Products is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of it work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The mandate of the Management Committee on Horizontal Question Concerning Trade in Agricultural Products (usually known as the XTrade Mechanisms Group") is to oversee a number of CAP market support and control measures. The Committee's main role is in connection with the regulations pertaining to the import and export of agricultural products.
	The Committee meets monthly, with the exception of August.
	The UK's usual representation consists of two officials from The Rural Payments Agency (XRPA"). However, officials from other Departments such as HM Customs also attend occasionally, depending on the agenda for the meeting in question.
	Travel expenses of approximately #11,000 for two delegates were reimbursed by the Commission. Other costs, consisting of subsistence allowances and travel expenses for additional officials, are met by the parent Agency or department of those in attendance and amounted to approximately £6,300 over the last 12 months.
	Issues presently under consideration include a number of amendments and clarifications to the main external trade regulations in response to, for example, reports issued by the Court of Auditors.
	Arrangements are in place to report on the Committee's activities through DEFRA, RPA's parent Department. RPA has a range of measures to communicate changes to the regulatory regime to its customers and other interested parties. The activities of RPA generally are subject to scrutiny by various audit bodies, including the National Audit Office.
	The Committee may be regarded as a comitology committee. Consequently the following points are relevant in regard to increasing its accountability and transparency:
	Together with Member States, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to Xsimplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission";
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final).
	As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the mandate of the Committee for the application of the rules on the manufacture and placing on the market of certain substances used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotiopic substances is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: I have been asked to reply.
	The procedures and guidance for meetings of the Drug Precursor Committee are contained in Article 10 of both Council Regulation 3677/90 and Council Directive 92/109/EEC.
	This Committee usually meets every quarter. In the last 12 months it met in May, September and December 2001, and in March 2002.
	The Home Office is the lead United Kingdom Government Department for this Committee and is represented at all meetings. When necessary representatives of the National Criminal Intelligence Service and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise also attend.
	The annual cost to public funds of the work of this Committee is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	Items currently under consideration by this Committee include: increasing licensing procedures required for the export of the precursor chemicals acetic anhydride and potassium permanganate; evaluation of European Union precursor legislation; and negotiation of a bilateral precursor agreement with Turkey.
	The Commission, together with Member States, is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to Xsimplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Library on 26 February (Commission Document 5685/02).
	As part of the review process, the United Kingdom Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agenda and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Stationery

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent by her Department on stationery in (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97, (c) 1997–98, (d) 1998–99, (e) 1999–2000, (f) 2000–01 and (g) 2001–02; what suppliers were used in each of these years, and how much was spent per supplier; what tender processes were undertaken, and what the frequency was of such processes; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: The main provider of stationery to DTI over this period has been Guilbert UK Limited with whom we have a framework arrangement awarded by competitive tender in June 1998. Expenditure under this framework for the years for which information is available is as follows:
	FY 1998–99—#1,078,069 (July 1998–March 1999);
	FY 1999–00—#1,384,281;
	FY 2000–01—#1,567,334; and
	FY 2001–02—#1,536,726.

Arms Export Licences

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what licences have been granted for equipment on the military list to (a) India and (b) Pakistan in each month since December 2001, including military list and dual-use ratings; what equipment is covered under these licences; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 11 June 2002
	The number of Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) covering items on the military and dual use lists, issued to end users in India and Pakistan in each month since December 2001, is set out in the tables that I have placed in the Libraries of the House. Individual licences might cover a range of items with various ratings. Where this is so, the licence is included in the tables in the total for all of the relevant ratings.
	The summary description of the items covered by these ratings will be published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls, copies of which will be available in the Libraries of the House. In addition India and Pakistan are permitted destinations on certain Open General Export Licences, copies of which are also placed in the Libraries of the House. All relevant export licence applications for India and Pakistan are considered very carefully in the light of the latest developments in the region, on a case by case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria and my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter's statement of 15 March 2002.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of small arms production equipment to Pakistan ordnance factories.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of small arms production equipment is controlled under entries ML18 and ML21 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended. Details of all relevant export licences including any for small arms production equipment issued to Pakistan since 2 May 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published as soon as possible.
	Information on export licences for particular end users is commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of components or sub-assemblies for the MP5 sub-machine gun to Switzerland where the final end-use destination was (a) Turkey, (b) Finland and (c) Pakistan.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of components and sub-assemblies for machine guns is controlled under entries ML1 and ML16 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended.
	Between 2 May 1997 and 27 May 2002 no Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) were issued covering entries ML1 and ML16 where the consignee was Switzerland and the end user was either in Turkey, Finland or Pakistan.
	The Export Control Organisation's computer database records only permitted destinations for all Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs). Details of all relevant SIELs and OIELs issued since 2 May 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published as soon as possible.
	Information on export licences for components and sub-assemblies for particular machine guns in commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of small arms production equipment to MKEK in Turkey.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of small arms production equipment is controlled under entries ML18 and ML21 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended.
	Details of all relevant export licences including any for small arms production equipment issued to Turkey since 2 May 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published as soon as possible.
	Information on export licences for particular end users is commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of small arms production equipment to Iran.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of small arms production equipment is controlled under entries ML18 and ML21 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended.
	Details of all relevant export licences including any for small arms production equipment issued to Iran since 2 May 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published as soon as possible.
	The Government's policy with respect to export licensing for Iran was set out in the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth on 28 January 1998, Official Report, columns 273–74.

Arms Export Licences

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many export licences for military equipment have been granted by her Department in each of the last three years.

Nigel Griffiths: The number of export licence applications in respect of items controlled for strategic reasons that have been approved and rejected since 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House.
	The 2001 Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls will be published as soon as possible.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of components or sub-assemblies for the G3 rifle and MP5 sub-machine gun to Iran.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of components and sub-assemblies for rifles and machine guns is controlled under entries ML1 and ML16 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended.
	Details of all relevant export licences including any for components or sub-assemblies for rifles and machine guns issued to Iran since 2 May 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published as soon as possible.
	Information on export licences for particular rifles and machine guns are commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	The Government's policy with respect to export licensing for Iran was set out in the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth on 28 January 1998, Official Report, columns 273–74.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of CS pellets to Malaysia; and what the (a) quantities and (b) end-users in each case were.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of CS pellets is controlled under entries ML3, ML4 and ML7 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended.
	Details of all relevant export licences including those for CS pellets issued to Malaysia since 2 May 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published as soon as possible.
	Information on export licences to end users, and the quantities involved, is commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for technology transfers to Turkey for the licensed production of the T-40 HK33E 40 mm grenade launcher.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of technology for the production of grenade launchers is controlled under entries ML21 and ML22 in the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended.
	Details of all relevant export licences including any for technology for the licensed production of grenade launchers issued to Turkey since 2 May 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published as soon as possible.
	Information on export licences for technology for the production of particular grenade launchers is commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of components or sub-machine guns to Germany where the final end-use destination was (a) Turkey, (b) Switzerland, (c) Finland and (d) Pakistan;
	(2)  what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of components for the MP5 sub-machine gun to Germany where the final end-use destination was (a) Turkey, (b) Switzerland, (c) Finland and (d) Pakistan.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of components and sub-assemblies for machine guns is controlled under entries ML1 and ML16 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended.
	Between 2 May 1997 and 27 May 2002 no Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) were issued covering the ratings ML1 or ML16 where the consignee was Germany and the end user was either in Turkey, Switzerland, Finland or Pakistan.
	The Export Control Organisation's computer database records only permitted destinations for all Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs). Details of all relevant SIELs and OIELs issued since 2 May 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published as soon as possible.
	Information on export licences for components and sub-assemblies for particular machine guns is commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of components or sub-assemblies for the HK33 rifle to Turkey where the final end-use destination was in a different country.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of components and sub-assemblies for rifles is controlled under entries ML1 and ML16 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended.
	Between 2 May 1997 and 27 May 2002, two Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) were issued covering the ratings ML1 or ML16 where the consignee was Turkey and the end user was in a different country.
	The Export Control Organisation's computer database records only permitted destinations for all Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs). Details of all relevant SIELs and OIELs issued since 2 May 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published as soon as possible.
	Information on licences for components and sub-assemblies for particular rifles is commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of components for the MP5 sub-machine gun to Finland where the final end-use destination was in a different country.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of components and sub-assemblies for machine guns is controlled under entries ML1 and ML16 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended.
	Between 2 May 1997 and 28 May 2002 no Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) were issued covering the ratings ML1 or ML16 where the consignee was Finland and the end user was in a different country.
	The Export Control Organisation's computer database records only permitted destinations for all Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs). Details of all relevant SIELs and OIELs issued since 2 May 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published as soon as possible.
	Information on export licences for components and sub-assemblies for particular machine guns is commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of components or sub-assemblies for the MP5 sub-machine gun to Pakistan where the final end-use destination was in a different country.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of components and sub-assemblies for machine guns is controlled under entries ML1 and ML16 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended.
	Between 2 May 1997 and 27 May 2002, no Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) were issued covering the ratings ML1 or ML16, where the consignee was Pakistan and the end user was in a different country.
	The Export Control Organisation's computer database records only permitted destinations for all Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs). Details of all relevant SIELs and OIELs issued since 2 May 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published as soon as possible.
	Information on export licences for components and sub-assemblies for particular machine guns is commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of components or sub-assemblies for sub-machine guns to Turkey where the final end-use destination was a different country;
	(2)  what export licences have been granted sine 2 May 1997 for the export of components for the MP5 sub-machine gun to Turkey where the final end-use destination was a different country.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of components and sub-assemblies for machine guns is controlled under entries ML1 and ML16 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended.
	Between 2 May 1997 and 28 May 2002 two Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) were issued covering the ratings ML1 or ML16 where the consignee was Turkey and the end user was in a different country.
	The Export Control Organisation's computer database records only permitted destinations for all Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs). Details of all relevant SIELs and OIELs issued since 2 May 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published as soon as possible.
	Information on licences for components and sub-assemblies for particular machine guns is commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of Pains Wessex CS pellets to Malaysia; and what the (a) quantities and (b) end-users were in each case.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of CS pellets is controlled under entries ML3, ML4 and ML7 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended.
	Details of all relevant export licences including those for CS pellets issued to Malaysia since 2 May 1997 are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published as soon as possible.
	Information on licences to particular exporters, the end users, and the quantities involved, is commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Arms Exhibitions and Conferences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support has been provided by Trade Partners UK to assist PW Defence to (a) attend and (b) exhibit at MSP exhibitions or conferences in the UK and overseas since 1 May 1997; which exhibitions or conferences were attended; and what amounts were provided

Nigel Griffiths: Trade Partners UK (TPUK) provided support to PW Defence at the following overseas exhibitions under the terms of the Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad scheme since May 1997:
	
		
			 Date Event Country Support(#) 
		
		
			 Sep 2000 Africa Aerospace and Defence South Africa 3,100 
			 Mar 2001 IDEX UAE 2,300 
			 Nov 2001 MILIPOL France 2,300 
			 Apr 2002 DSA Malaysia 3,500 
		
	
	TPUK have no record of supporting PW Defence at any exhibitions or conferences in the UK during this period.
	As the House knows, this company has been under investigation following a recent report on their activities.

Departmental Reviews

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the period is of the contract between her Department and Gap Gemini Ernst and Young relating to the current reviews of her Department.

Patricia Hewitt: Cap Gemini Ernst and Young were appointed to support the DTI's reviews of its Priorities and Structure and its Support for Business in August 2001. Work on the Priorities and Structure finished in April this year while the contract for work currently being undertaken on Business Support will finish on 8 July.

Business Links

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the national standards applicable to those delivering Business Link branded services; and whether it is her policy that these standards should be made mandatory.

Nigel Griffiths: I continue to view the commitment to the National Standards of Professional Competence as key to improving the quality of service available from the Business Link network.
	The National Standards of Professional Competence for those delivering Business Link branded services are mandatory.

Business Links

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will place in the Library the annual assessments taken of the Business Links Service by her Department in each of the past four years.

Nigel Griffiths: Business Link quarterly performance information reports were routinely filed with the Libraries of the House until early 2001. Since then copies have been available electronically via the Small Business Service web site (sbs.gov.uk) on request.
	Hard copies will be supplied to the Libraries of the House.

Business Links

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will place in the Library impact assessments relating to the performance of local business links.

Nigel Griffiths: Yes.

Small Business

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent measures the Government have taken to assist small businesses in offering more flexible hours; and what plans the Government have to ensure that businesses offer flexible hours to all employees.

Alan Johnson: We are committed to delivering our campaign to promote flexible working in small as well as large businesses. We are working with all businesses to convince them of the business benefits for flexible working, and we are at the same time providing advice on how they can develop flexible working approaches. This includes:
	Providing from April 2003, parents of children aged under six and disabled children aged under 18 with a right to request to work flexibly and placing a duty on employers to consider requests seriously. This important new right has been specifically designed to take account of the needs of small business and will be accompanied by a package of support for both employers and employees, including tailored guidance for small businesses.
	Helping to tackle the long hours culture in the UK, through an International Study Tour, which will share best practice on how best small as well as large companies maintain or improve productivity whilst tackling the issue of long hours.
	Targeting and supporting specific sectors, including small businesses, to facilitate real change in those sectors where there is little experience of flexible working.
	Providing support and guidance to employers who want to adopt flexible working but do not know how, through the Challenge Funds, and disseminating the emerging best practice. Our successful Challenge Fund programme, #10.5 million over three years (2000–03) aims to raise employers' awareness of the business benefits of policies and practices that help employees achieve a better balance between work and the rest of their lives. 166 companies, including small businesses, have already received support through the fund, and we have recently announced another round of successful projects, bringing the total number of companies to benefit from this fund to 399.

Nuclear Waste White Paper

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the White Paper on Nuclear Waste will be published.

Brian Wilson: The White Paper on managing the nuclear legacy will be published in the next few weeks. In setting out the Government's strategy for cleaning up the civil nuclear legacy, the White Paper will make reference to the separate consultation process on XManaging Radioactive Waste Safely" which is being carried out by DEFRA and the devolved administrations.

Disadvantaged Areas (Business Start-ups)

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to support the start-up of new businesses in disadvantaged areas.

Alan Johnson: We are spending #170 million over the next three years through the Phoenix Fund and a loan fund for Business Incubators across all regions of England.
	We are currently running 96 Phoenix Development Fund projects in disadvantaged areas and amongst under-represented groups, including one project in Barnsley. So far the Development Fund has enabled the start-up of 424 new enterprises and the creation or safeguarding of 1,613 jobs.
	We are also supporting 46 Community Development Finance Initiative projects in disadvantaged areas and are currently progressing support to a CDFI in the South Yorkshire area.
	The Phoenix Fund is also making #1.5 million available for seven City Growth Strategy initiatives—putting enterprise at the heart of regeneration. A further #3 million is aimed at rural areas through the Development Fund for Rural Renewal.
	In addition, the SBS's Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme has guaranteed loans to the value of #5,588,149 to 106 businesses in South Yorkshire.
	The SBS recently published (May 2002) a consultation document as part of the process for developing a comprehensive strategy for Start-ups. One of the key objectives in developing the strategy will be to identify and remove barriers (real or perceived) that discourage those in under-represented groups and disadvantaged areas from starting a business, so that the gap between their numbers and the national average is reduced.
	The DTI will measure its progress in promoting enterprise in this way by reducing the 35 per cent. difference in business start up rates between the 20 per cent. most prosperous and the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged wards.

Equal Opportunities

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she is taking to encourage women to take up science and engineering careers.

Patricia Hewitt: The Department's Promoting SET for Women Unit will continue to be in existence for another five years to stimulate progress. I have asked Baroness Greenfield to report to me on the development of a more aggressive strategy for women in science and engineering. I also recently announced a new award, in memory of Rosalind Franklin, which will be given annually in recognition of outstanding scientific achievement in innovation and research to raise the profile of women in science. My Department is also funding a national mentoring scheme for women in SET.

Fishermen's Compensation

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims were (a) submitted and (b) paid and what sums were paid out for each fishing port in the scheme for compensating fishermen for the loss of Icelandic waters in the last five years.

Nigel Griffiths: The figures as of 31 May 2002 are as follows:
	
		
			 Current area of residence of claimant Number of payments Amount of compensation # million 
		
		
			 Hull 1,629 17.5 
			 Grimsby 685 4.7 
			 Fleetwood 320 2.8 
			 Blackpool 46 #352k 
			 Cleethorpes 188 1.4 
			 Newcastle 333 3.5 
			 West Yorkshire 208 1.9 
			 Aberdeen 238 1.3 
			 Others 511 3.8 
			  
			 Total 4,158 37 
		
	
	A total of 7,030 claims, not including duplicates, were received but I regret there is no breakdown of this figure by fishing port.

Employment Agencies Act

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what recent discussions she has had with Bectu and Equity regarding the operation of the Employment Agencies Act 1973; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  when the new regulations under the employment Agencies Act 1973 will be laid before Parliament.

Alan Johnson: I have had no recent meetings with Bectu or Equity to discuss the operation of the Employment Agencies Act.
	We will shortly be issuing the revised draft Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2002, which will cover the private recruitment industry, including the entertainment sector. There will be a consultation exercise on certain aspects of those Regulations and they will be laid before Parliament later in the year.

Company Insolvencies (Employees)

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will give a higher priority in her review of employment legislation to the position of employees as creditors in relation to their contractual entitlements in situations where the employing company becomes insolvent.

Alan Johnson: Under the Insolvency Act 1986 an employee of an insolvent employer has the right to make a preferential claim in the proceedings for certain statutory amounts of unpaid remuneration and unpaid holiday pay. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry does not propose to alter this priority.
	Under the insolvency payments provisions of the Employment Rights Act 1996, the employee is entitled to claim a certain statutory proportion of these debts from the Secretary of State, who will pay them out of the National Insurance Fund. The Secretary of State then Xsteps into the former employees shoes" and has the same preference as employees would have in respect of those debts—and indeed the same preference as they still do have in respect of the proportion of those debts that exceed the statutory maximum payable under the Employment Rights Act, but which still fall within the statutory maximum under the Insolvency Act. However, current section 189(4) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 allows the Secretary of State to be paid in priority to any preferential claims lodged in the insolvency proceedings by former employees.
	The Government will be tabling an amendment for Commons Report stage of the Enterprise Bill, following consideration of arguments put forward at Commons Committee stage, to remove this Xsuper preference".

Fireworks

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions have taken place between her Department and (a) the Cabinet Office (b) the Home Office and (c) DEFRA regarding what action can be taken within existing legislation to address neighbourhood safety, noise and nuisance arising from fireworks; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: We have held several discussions between relevant government departments, enforcement agencies and the industry to explore what more can be done to address neighbourhood noise and nuisance. These are continuing and I shall make a statement in due course.

Farnborough Air Show

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support her Department is giving to the organisers of the Farnborough Air Show taking place in July; and if the Department is providing assistance to enable overseas visitors to attend it.

Patricia Hewitt: The Government is committed to a strong UK aerospace and defence industry and my Department is very supportive of this important prestigious event which plays an important role in maintaining the UK's pre-eminent role in the world's aerospace industry. This year, my Department is not providing any financial support to the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC), organisers of the Farnborough International Air Show to fund inward missions. One application was made to Trade Partners UK under the national inward mission scheme, but this did not meet the required criteria. The Defence Export Services Organisation, part of the Ministry of Defence, makes arrangements for the attendance of official overseas defence delegations to Farnborough International and is supporting the event this year.

Trading Standards

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many pirated (a) video cassettes, (b) compact discs and (c) DVDs have been confiscated by trading standards officers in each of the last five years in (i) street markets and (ii) other distribution centres.

Melanie Johnson: Most local authorities are likely to keep records of seizures of pirate video cassettes, compact discs and DVDs by trading standards, but it would cost a disproportionate amount to collect and collate this information.

Post Office

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what performance standards she sets for delivery of first class letters by the Post Office.

Stephen Timms: Targets for the Royal Mail's scheduled services and standards are set in the licence issued by the Postal Services Commission (Postcomm) and agreed between Consignia and the Consumer Council for Postal Services (Postwatch). Royal Mail's current target for first class stamped and metered post is for 92.5 per cent. of letters to be delivered the next working day.

Post Office

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what consultation took place between her Department and the Post Office concerning the change of name to Consignia;
	(2)  if her Department was asked to approve the change of name by the Post Office to Consignia.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 20 May 2002
	The adoption of Consignia as the initial name of the Post Office company was a commercial matter for the company, and although Ministers were informed of the organisation's intentions, it was not an area in which the Government sought to intervene.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Affordable Housing

Colin Breed: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the answer of the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions of 20 May 2002, Official Report, column 118W, on affordable housing, how many empty homes in each region have been empty for (a) less than 12 months and (b) over 12 months in each of the last 10 years.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is not collected centrally at regional level.
	The number of Local Authority (LA) and Registered Social Landlord (RSL) empty homes in England that have been empty for (a) less than 12 months and (b) over 12 months for each of the last 10 years are set out in Table 1 below.
	
		Table 1: Number of LA and RSL homes in England empty for (a) less than 12 months, (b) more than 12 months for each of the last 10 years
		
			  Vacant for:  
			  (a) <12 months (b) >12 months Total vacant 
		
		
			 1 April
			 2001 91,600 30,000 121,600 
			 2000 96,100 28,600 124,700 
			 1999 90,100 23,500 116,600 
			 1998 99,200 20,700 110,900 
			 1997 89,400 18,500 107,900 
			 1996 86,000 17,100 103,100 
			 1995 75,900 16,700 92,600 
			 1994 74,600 15,900 90,500 
			 19931 76,900 20,600 97,500 
			 1992 67,500 22,100 89,600 
		
	
	1 Figures for 1993 are unusually high due to many dwellings bought by RSLs towards the end of the financial year (1992-93) under the Housing Market Package.
	Notes
	Figures rouned to the nearest 100.
	Sources
	The Department's annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns and the Housing Corporation's annual HAR 10 and Regulatory and Statistical Return (RSR).

Affordable Housing

Brian Cotter: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the progress and activities of the affordable housing unit with regard to its remit to provide more affordable homes.

Tony McNulty: The Affordable Housing Unit was established at the end of last year and is part of the Housing Directorate of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Its remit is to work with partners and stakeholders to significantly increase the supply of affordable housing in high demand areas across the country over the next three years and to contribute to the development of policy on increasing housing supply. We expect to make a statement on policies and measures to improve the supply of affordable housing before the summer recess.

Affordable Housing

Colin Breed: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the answer of the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions of 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 1162W, on affordable housing, how many affordable housing units have been built in rural areas, broken down by region, in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: A regional breakdown of information provided in the Official Report, 26 February 2002, column 1162W, relating to affordable housing units completed with social housing grant and with local authority social housing grant respectively, is presented below:
	
		Affordable Housing units built since 1997–98: Rural Authorities in England, by Region
		
			  Units funded through Social Housing Grant: 
			  (a) Housing Corporation (b) Local Authority 
		
		
			 1997–98   
			 North East 368 11 
			 Yorkshire 392 107 
			 East Midlands 439 275 
			 Eastern 1,000 736 
			 London 0 0 
			 South East 925 871 
			 South West 1,517 896 
			 West Midlands 401 360 
			 North West 258 65 
			 All Rural Authorities 5,300 3,321 
			 1998–99   
			 North East 184 0 
			 Yorkshire 421 97 
			 East Midlands 336 272 
			 Eastern 835 474 
			 London 0 0 
			 South East 1,044 586 
			 South West 1,339 697 
			 West Midlands 269 213 
			 North West 576 143 
			 All Rural Authorities 5,004 2,482 
			 1999–2000   
			 North East 276 15 
			 Yorkshire 187 121 
			 East Midlands 434 290 
			 Eastern 532 496 
			 London 0 0 
			 South East 581 431 
			 South West 1,096 562 
			 West Midlands 363 378 
			 North West 462 87 
			 All Rural Authorities 3,931 2,380 
			 2000–01 
			 North East 206 6 
			 Yorkshire 412 56 
			 East Midlands 342 320 
			 Eastern 680 468 
			 London 0 0 
			 South East 662 369 
			 South West 1,124 566 
			 West Midlands 160 85 
			 North West 406 140 
			 All Rural Authorities 3,992 2,010 
		
	
	Notes:
	Completions in respect of any schemes originally approved prior to 1996–97 with both Housing Corporation and Local Authority Social Housing Grant support will be counted under both headings, but cannot be distinguished.
	Affordable housing schemes comprise those for rent (including Tariff, and Mixed Funded schemes); temporary social housing schemes (including MiniHag, and short-life housing); and shared or outright ownership schemes (including leasehold for the elderly).
	Source:
	Housing Corporation returns

Ordnance Survey

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the National Interest in Mapping Service Agreement Review Group agreed in advance that NIMSA funding could be used for colour photography.

Tony McNulty: No. NIMSA funding has not supported the move to aerial colour photography by Ordnance Survey.

Ordnance Survey

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will publish a breakdown of Ordnance Survey activities funded under the National Interest in Mapping Service Agreement in 2001–02.

Tony McNulty: Since April 1999, National Interest in Mapping Services Agreement (NIMSA) funds have been used by Ordnance Survey for activities that are defined and agreed by the NIMSA review group comprising officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ordnance Survey. These activities are agreed each year in advance, but are subject to change by the review group.
	Details about NIMSA activities for 2001–02 will be published in an annual report this summer.

Ordnance Survey

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the annual payment was in 2001–02 to Ordnance Survey under the National Interest in Mapping Service Agreement.

Tony McNulty: The payment to Ordnance Survey in 2001–02 in respect of the National Interest Mapping Services Agreement was #15,987,245.

Key Workers' Housing

Theresa May: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much money was spent on key workers' housing initiatives in the last year; how the money was spent; how many people benefited from it; and what their occupations were.

John Prescott: We are providing #250 million for the Starter Home Initiative (SHI) over the three years 2001–02 to 2003–04 to help 10,000 key workers to buy homes in areas where they would otherwise be priced out of the housing market. This includes expenditure of #2.173 million which helped 90 key workers complete their assisted house purchases between October 2001 and March 2002. The key workers helped were primarily teachers, police officers and health workers.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions between 31 March 2001 and 31 March 2002 his (a) departmental and (b) non-departmental special advisers have travelled abroad in an official capacity; what places were visited; and how much each visit cost.

Douglas Alexander: I have been asked to reply.
	Between 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2002, Special Advisers in the Cabinet Office travelled abroad on six occasions, at an average cost of #5,626.26 per trip as the trips involved covered long distance and several countries at a time. All travel by Special Advisers is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code, and the Civil Service Management Code.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Pre-Legislative Scrutiny

Graham Allen: To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee when he expects that the equipment supplied to hon. Members will be capable of viewing pre-legislative scrutiny on-line.

Michael Fabricant: The proceedings of the Joint Committee on the draft Communications Bill are webcast as part of a one-year pilot project covering proceedings in the chambers of both Houses, sittings of the House in Westminster Hall, and public proceedings of certain select and joint committees. The pilot project is due to run until the end of December 2002 and is specifically intended as a means by which the general public can follow proceedings in Parliament. It is not accessible via the PDVN since the volume of electronic traffic that might be generated could affect the quality of day to day services on PDVN.
	Once the pilot project has come to an end, an assessment will be made of its value. If a webcasting service is to be provided in the long term, a decision will be taken on whether access will be made available within Parliament, bearing in mind any further investment which would be needed. The hon. Gentleman may want to raise the matter with the Broadcasting and Information Committees later in the year, as the pilot project comes to a close.

TREASURY

Advertising

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the expenditure by the Inland Revenue on advertising was in each fiscal year since 1997–98; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The expenditure by the Inland Revenue on advertising was in each fiscal year since 1997–98 as follows.
	
		
			 Campaign Total (#) 
		
		
			 1997–98  
			 Self Assessment 4,152,488 
			 1998–99  
			 Self Assessment 2,351,340 
			 Construction Industry Scheme 651,962 
			 Millennium Gift Aid 2,686,098 
			 ISA Campaign 810,230 
			 1999–2000  
			 Construction Industry Scheme 949,787 
			 Self Assessment 1,479,997 
			 Employers Campaign 195,637 
			 Working Families' Tax Credit take-up campaign 6,664,663 
			 Disabled Person's Tax Credit take-up campaign 245,638 
			 2000–01  
			 Self Assessment 3,740,418 
			 PAYE Online 879,646 
			 Call Confidential 1,024,500 
			 Self Employed Registration Helpline 454,972 
			 Children's Tax Credit 5,005,254 
			 Working Families' Tax Credit 4,848,429 
			 Disabled Person's Tax Credit 63,347 
			   
			 2001–02  
			 Self Assessment (including online) 4,718,205 
			 Working Families' Tax Credit 1,236,039 
			 Disabled Persons Tax Credit 816,426 
			 PAYE online 1,309,060 
			 Children's Tax Credit 21,168 
			 Payroll Giving 191,349 
			 Share Incentive Plan 1,068,217 
		
	
	All figures exclude VAT
	All campaigns were contracted through the COI and are independently audited.
	All have involved an element of awareness raising as well as informing taxpayers of their specific rights and obligations within the tax system.
	As an example, campaign spend on Working Families Tax credit since its introduction in October 1999 has increased awareness of WFTC, with advertising awareness peaking at 68 per cent of the target audience in December 2000. There were 1,293,000 UK families in receipt of WFTC at 30 November 2001, this compares with 833,000 who were receiving Family Credit at its peak.

Tax Credits (Scotland)

Eric Joyce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families are in receipt of (a) working families tax credit and (b) child tax credit in each constituency in Scotland.

Dawn Primarolo: For the numbers in receipt of the working families' tax credit (WFTC), I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Jarrow (Mr. Hepburn) on 16 January 2002, Official Report, column 293W. Information about the children's tax credit (CTC) is not available by constituency. However, the number of families eligible for the CTC in Scotland is estimated to be 400,000.

Motor Taxation

James Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was raised in 2001–02 from (a) duty on motor fuel, (b) VAT on motor fuel, (c) VED, (d) VAT on the purchase of all motor vehicles, (e) benefit in kind tax on company cars (f) benefit in kind on free fuel to company car drivers and (g) insurance premium tax on motor insurance premiums.

John Healey: In 2001–02, the amount of duty received from road fuel was #21.7 billion; #4.4 billion was raised from Vehicle Excise Duty; #2.5 billion was raised from benefit in kind tax on company cars; and #0.9 billion was raised from benefit in kind on fuel to company car drivers.
	No figures are available for the amount of VAT raised specifically from either the sale of road fuel or the purchase of all motor vehicles.
	Information specifically on insurance premium tax on motor insurance premiums is not collected. Customs & Excise do not require insurers to identify the specific types of insurance policies on which insurance premium tax is paid.

Correspondence

Alan Beith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to correspondence from the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed of 20 January referring to correspondence dated 23 October 2001 referred to him by the Paymaster General relating to constituents who let holiday cottages and were affected by foot and mouth restrictions.

Dawn Primarolo: I have done so.

AIRMIC

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with AIRMIC concerning the availability of insurance cover in the aftermath of 11 September; and which sectors these discussions covered.

Ruth Kelly: The Government is aware that the availability of insurance cover against acts of terrorism has reduced following 11 September. Constructive discussions are ongoing between HM Treasury, the insurance industry and representatives of AIRMIC on possible changes to the Pool Re Scheme which provides terrorism reinsurance for commercial property damage and business interruption. AIRMIC have also been involved in wider discussions between Treasury and industry about the availability of terrorism insurance.

Internet

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what regional differences exist in the home use of the internet.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 13 June 2002
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question regarding information on regional differences in the home use of the Internet. I am replying in his absence. (58241)
	The attached table presents the most recently available information of households with access to the Internet by Government Office Regions and countries of the UK. The latest headline estimate is that 39 per cent of households in the UK had Internet access at home in the quarter October to December 2001. The more detailed regional analysis is based on a full sample over a 12-month period. While 39 per cent of UK households had Internet access in the fourth quarter of 2001, the average for the twelve months, October 2000 to September 2001 was 37 per cent, therefore this 37 per cent provides the basis for the regional analysis attached.
	
		Percentage of households with access to the Internet by Government Office Regions and countries of the UK; October 2000 to September 2001
		
			 Government Office Region and country of the UK Per cent. 
		
		
			 North East 26 
			 North West 36 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 31 
			 East Midlands 40 
			 West Midlands 35 
			 East 41 
			 London 45 
			 South East 45 
			 South West 38 
			 England 39 
			 Wales 27 
			 Scotland 30 
			 Northern Ireland 26 
			 UK 37 
		
	
	Source:
	Family Expenditure Survey; Expenditure and Food Survey (April 2001 onwards) Like all estimates from sample surveys these figures are subject to sampling variability. This is greater for sub-groups of the population than for national estimates.

Euro

Bill Rammell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the extent to which British businesses accept the euro as a means of payment.

Ruth Kelly: There is no information available on the numbers or types of UK businesses that will accept euro. Within the UK, the euro, like other foreign currencies is not legal tender but is a legal currency. Businesses can therefore choose to trade in it if they want.

Euro

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to encourage small businesses to accept the euro.

Ruth Kelly: Details of the information provided to UK businesses to assist those that want to deal in euro now were set out in the Treasury's Fifth Report on Euro Preparations, published on 4 November 2001, copies of which were deposited in the Library of the House.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Export Licences (Israel)

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has (a)to freeze and (b)to revoke export licences to Israel under the Consolidated Criteria; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Since the outbreak of the intifada in September 2000 and taking into account Israeli military tactics, the Government have revoked a number of export licences to Israel. We currently have no plans to freeze extant export licences to Israel. This policy is kept under constant review.
	We consider all export licence applications on a case by case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria.

Certified Timber

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the refurbishment projects that (a) are in progress and (b) will start within the next six months; and what action is being taken to ensure that these will procure certified timber.

Denis MacShane: The FCO has the following refurbishment projects in progress: Buenos Aires Residence, Moscow Residence and staff accommodation, Tunis Residence, New Delhi staff accommodation, Pyongyang staff accommodation. Within the next six months the contract will be let for the Pera House office/Residence in Istanbul. All contractors are instructed to comply with UK Government environmental policy on timber procurement.

Leila Khalid

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  on what grounds Leila Khalid was granted a visa to visit the UK; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will review the grant of a visa to Leila Khalid to visit the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;

Mike O'Brien: It has been a long standing government policy not to disclose information on individual applications on the grounds of privacy of an individual. Under Exemption 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information I am unable to provide my hon. Friend with the information that he requires.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Eric Joyce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received in respect of a mass killing and mutilation of soldiers and policemen in Kisingani, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Denis MacShane: MONUC, NGOs and Congolese residents of Kisangani have reported killings on 14 May. However, the origins of the incident, the number and nature of the deaths, and responsibility for the deaths remain unclear. We have encouraged MONUC and UNHCR to conduct a speedy enquiry and to publish their findings as soon as possible.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Eric Joyce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the nature and extent of the recent uprising in the city of Kisingani and on the Haut Plateau in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and what representations he has made to the Government of Rwanda and the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Democratie about the responsibility for maintaining order.

Denis MacShane: Dissent amongst RCD-Goma ranks has been reported at several locations, in particular in Kisangani on 14 May and in the Hauts Plateaux since February. Information remains incomplete. It is clear however, that the rebellions have resulted in an unacceptable loss of life and that the local civilian populations have suffered. We have supported EU and UN statements condemning the violent response of the RCD-Goma leadership in Kisangani and calling on Rwanda to use its influence to calm the situation. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development has raised the events in Kisangani with President Kagame.

Devolution

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times a United Kingdom delegation has been led by Ministers from devolved administrations (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001 and (d) 2002; who attended in each case; who led in each case; and in what percentage of overall council meetings the United Kingdom delegation has been led by a devolved administration.

Peter Hain: Decisions on Ministerial attendance at Council meetings are taken on a case-by-case basis by the lead UK Minister.
	The table below shows where Ministers from devolved administrations have led a UK delegation. Our calculations estimate this at approximately 3 per cent. of Council meetings.
	
		
			 Year Attendee Council Attended Devolved Administration 
		
		
			 1999 Nil — — 
			 2000 Jane Davidson Education and Youth Council, 9 November Welsh Assembly Government 
			  Nicol Stephen Education Council, 8 June Scottish Executive 
			 2001 Nicol Stephen Education and Youth Council, 12 February Scottish Executive 
			  Susan Deacon Health Council, 4 June Scottish Executive 
			 2002 Jane Davidson Youth Council, 30 May Welsh Assembly Government

Guantanamo Bay

Christine Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

Mike O'Brien: British officials paid a third visit to Guantanamo Bay between 27 and 31 May. The purpose of the visit was to ask questions relevant to national security, to confirm the identity and nationality of two British detainees transferred there in May and to check on the welfare of all seven British detainees. The officials were from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Security Service.
	The officials met the detainees individually. US officials were able to observe the interviews. One detainee has sustained injuries in Afghanistan. He and the US authorities confirmed that he was receiving medical treatment for them. The other detainees appeared to be in satisfactory physical health, though some of them complained of ailments, which are being addressed. Some detainees raised concerns about their status and other aspects of their detention and conditions at Guantanamo, which British officials discussed with the camp authorities. The officials saw no visible sign of mistreatment.
	British officials delivered to the camp authorities letters from some of the detainees' families to be passed to the detainees. Some of the detainees asked the officials to relay oral messages to their families. We have passed them and the details of the detainees' circumstances to their families. Personal details are not disclosed in the answer for reasons of privacy. The detainees confirmed that they were able to send and receive letters to and from their families through the camp authorities and through the International Committee of the Red Cross.
	All detainees were now housed in recently-built indoor accommodation including individual sleeping, toilet and washing facilities and air-conditioning. The detainees confirmed that they were able to practice their religion and take exercise. The detainees also have access to reading and writing material.
	The visiting team found the US camp authorities open and co-operative.
	The ICRC continues to maintain a presence at Guantanamo Bay and has access on demand to the detainees.

Sheik Hamad bin Jassin bin Jaber al-Thari

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contact has taken place, at what level and on what dates, between (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants and the Jersey authorities in respect of matters connected with the freezing of trusts whose beneficiaries include His Excellency Sheik Hamad bin Jassin bin Jaber al-Thari; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: I am informed that there have been no contacts between FCO Ministers and the Jersey Attorney General on this. FCO officials have attended four meetings in March, July and August 2001 at which the Jersey Attorney General or his representatives were present, and have had occasional telephone and e-mail contacts with the Jersey Attorney General's office to exchange information about the investigation. Decisions about the conduct of the Jersey Attorney General's investigation were for him alone.

Mr. Abdul Bassett al-Megrahi

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has made to former President Mandela's request that Mr. Abdul Bassett al-Megrahi be moved to a prison in a Muslim country.

Mike O'Brien: We are aware from press reports of former President Mandela's call for Mr Al-Megrahi to be transferred to a prison in a Muslim country. We have not received a formal request from him.
	Libya agreed to hand over suspects for trial in a third country, and if convicted, to their imprisonment in Scotland. This agreement stands with regard to Mr. Al-Megrahi's imprisonment.

France

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet the French Foreign Minister; and if he will raise the issue of the ban imposed by the French Government on imports of beef from the UK.

Peter Hain: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met his new French counterpart on 22 May and raised this issue with him. The Government continues to make it clear to the French Government that the ban on UK beef exported under the Date-based Export Scheme is illegal and should be lifted immediately.

Arms Trade

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings officials in his Department have had over the last two years with officials from Jersey's Attorney General's Office concerning investigation of corruption relating to arms deals; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: I am told that over the last two years, FCO officials have attended four meetings at which the the Jersey Attorney General or his representatives were also present. Decisions about the conduct of the Jersey Attorney General's investigation were for him alone.

HMS Invincible

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding the sale of HMS Invincible to India.

Mike O'Brien: I refer to my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr James Gray) by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Defence today UIN 61162.

India/Pakistan

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with colleagues in the EU, UN, India, Pakistan, the US and Russia regarding the situation on the Indo-Pakistan border.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave an account of his recent contacts with India and Pakistan in his statement to the House on Monday 10 June, Official Report, column 595.

CABINET OFFICE

Ministerial Panel on Red Tape

Brian Cotter: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the work of the Ministerial Panel on Red Tape.

Douglas Alexander: The Ministerial Panel on Regulatory Accountability was set up in 2001 to take a strategic overview of the regulatory system; to tackle instances where progress on regulatory reform is blocked; and to call Ministers to account for new regulation and their performance in addressing the burden of existing regulation.

Regulatory Impact Unit

Brian Cotter: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many policy proposals the Regulatory Impact Unit has been consulted on during the past year.

Douglas Alexander: The Regulatory Impact Unit have been consulted on 597 occasions.
	In addition the Unit is consulted on an ad hoc basis for advice and assistance. This information is not held centrally, and could only be assembled at disproportionate cost.

Staff Numbers

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff were employed by his Department on(a)2 May 1997 and(b)31 may 2002.

Douglas Alexander: Data on staffing levels are not available for the dates requested as they are only collected twice a year, as at 1 April and 1 October. We are currently in the process of collecting the data for 1 April 2002.
	I would refer the hon. Member to the documents that were released on 5 June 1997 and 21 February 2002, reporting figures as at 1 April 1997 and 1 October 2001 respectively. Copies of the documents were placed in the Libraries of the House at the time of publication.

PRIME MINISTER

Intelligence and Security Committee

Wayne David: To ask the Prime Minister when he will respond to the Intelligence and Security Committee's Annual report for 2001–02.

Tony Blair: I have today laid the Government Response to the Intelligence and Security Committee's Report before Parliament.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 16 May concerning a constituent.

Ivan Lewis: I have replied today, 13 June, to my hon. Friend's letter of 16 May.

Pupil Absence

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of pupil days were lost through absence in (a) each LEA and (b) England in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: [holding answer 10 June 2002): The information requested is contained in tables, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries.

Learning and Skills Council

Gillian Merron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will define the common funding approach to be adopted by the Learning and Skills Council for(a)2003–04 and(b)subsequent years.

Margaret Hodge: The foremost principle is that funding must follow the learner. Other principles of the funding system are that it should: be easy to understand, determine funding rates fairly, and be simple in design and administration. It must have the flexibility to cope with provision ranging from full-time classroom learning to on-line learning at home. These principles are based on the extensive consultation carried out by this Department in 1999–2000 and confirmed by the Department and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in November 2000. We have built on the best elements of the former Further Education Funding Council's national system of formula based funding and the LSC are committed to introduce a single non-bureaucratic system. In 2003–04 further education, work based learning for young people, school sixth forms and adult and community learning will be funded through systems which follow the same principles. The LSC will develop the common funding approach further and plan a single funding system for all the main post-16 learning routes in 2004–05.

Learning and Skills Council

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance has been given to the Learning and Skills Council on the action to be taken to deal with weaknesses identified following an area inspection and the circumstances under which reorganisation of provision ought properly to be considered; and if she will publish that guidance.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 11 June 2002
	The Department's guidance following an area inspection sets out the key elements of an effective action plan, and the basis on which it will be assessed. This is issued to each local LSC and LEA on publication of their Ofsted area inspection report. I have placed a copy of the guidance in the libraries of the House.
	The LSC is the body responsible for planning 16–19 provision. It is for them, in liaison with their local partners, to decide what action, including reorganisation, is necessary to address the weaknesses in their area.

Veterinary Science

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many veterinary science students have followed courses in epidemics, farm animals and disease control in universities in each of the last 10 years.

Margaret Hodge: Epidemics, farm animals and disease control are covered in all veterinary science courses. The table below gives the number of students on undergraduate courses.
	
		Higher Education Students 1 on Undergraduate Veterinary Science Courses UK HE Institutions
		
			  Academic year Number of Students (thousands) 
		
		
			 1991–92 1.9 
			 1992–93 2.0 
			 1993–94 2.2 
			 1994–95 2.3 
			 1995–96 2.4 
			 1996–97 2.5 
			 1997–98 2.6 
			 1998–99 2.8 
			 1999–00 3.0 
			 2000–01 3.1 
			 2001–02 3.4 
		
	
	Source:
	Universities Statistical Record (USR) and Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
	1. Covers home and overseas students on full-time or part-time courses.

Funding Awards

David Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what efficiency gains were factored in the funding awards, made to (a) further education colleges, (b) sixth form colleges and (c) schools with a sixth form in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 15 May 2002
	
		
			  1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
			 Further Education Unit Funding actual actual actual actual provisional planned planned planned 
		
		
			 Funding for participation (#) 3,050 3,070 3,120 3,360 3,380 3,500 3,550 3,610 
			 Real terms index 100 98 97 101 100 101 100 99 
			 Total funding (#) 3,050 3,070 3,120 3,440 3,540 3,810 3,990 4,150 
			 Real terms index 100 98 97 104 105 110 112 114 
		
	
	This table shows two real terms indices for each full time equivalent (FTE) student in FE, including sixth form colleges. The first shows unit of funding for participation and includes funding for Qualifying for Success, widening participation and adult basic skills. The second shows a unit of funding for all funding for further education, including funds such as capital, standards fund and Teachers Pay Initiative. Since 1997 colleges have widened participation among learners, broadened programmes of study for 16–19 year olds, increased basic skills provision and improved qualification success rates. Funding for schools with sixth forms was set by individual local education authorities up to 2001–02 and any effciency gains will have varied from place to place.

National Childcare Strategy

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures have been introduced to enhance the National Childcare Strategy in rural areas.

Margaret Hodge: The National Childcare Strategy offers substantial resources to develop childcare facilities in all areas, including rural communities. The Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative, which is part of the Strategy, encompasses rural communities and was launched in 2001 to create 45,000 childcare places in the most disadvantaged communities. Furthermore, an additional #22 million has been allocated for a round of smaller Sure Start programmes, delivered through Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships (EYDCPs). These new Mini-Sure Starts will provide additional resources to new Neighbourhood Nurseries and existing childcare facilities in rural areas, small towns, and pockets of disadvantage.
	DfES Officials are working closely with the Countryside Agency to maximise support for rural areas and policies which take the needs of rural areas into account in accordance with the Rural White Paper. There is also a rural adviser seconded to the Early Years and Childcare Unit in my Department to advise on rural issues.

IT Training

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans there are to increase access to IT training for children and adults in Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East.

Ivan Lewis: The revised National Curriculum requires all pupils aged 5 to 14 to be taught Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and we have a target of 85 per cent. of 14 year olds reaching National Curriculum level 5 or above by 2007. To support schools in reaching this target we have, in particular, a strategy at Key Stage 3 which is currently in pilot and will be rolled out to all schools in the next academic year.
	For adults, there are a number of learndirect centres and three UK online centres in Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East. Ufi Limited works closely with organisations involved in local hub partnerships to plan and develop local learndirect provision offering a range of on-line courses including ICT and Basic Skills to individuals over 16. UK online centres provide access to the Internet and email to adults in disadvantaged communities who may have low, or no, ICT skills. There are no current plans to open further UK online centres in Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East.

IT Training

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the effectiveness of ICT training funded by the New Opportunities Fund.

Ivan Lewis: The New Opportunities Fund ICT teacher training programme is to ensure that serving teachers feel confident and are competent to teach using ICT within the curriculum, with the aim of raising the standards of pupils' achievements. This is probably the largest scale teacher training programme in the world and over 96 per cent. of eligible teachers and over 99 per cent. of schools have already signed up for the training in England.
	However, the programme still has 18 months left to run and it is therefore too early to assess the full effectiveness and to say whether the training is having the desired impact on classroom practice.
	However, the recent Ofsted report highlighted a number of positive things about the training, namely that the scheme has raised the profile of ICT training in many schools; has helped teachers to improve their ICT skills significantly and that there has been an unprecedented willingness in the teaching profession to embrace ICT.
	The Ofsted report also raised concerns that the training has not had as widespread an effect on classroom practice as might be reasonably expected at this stage of the programme. My Department will be working with NOF and the TTA to ensure that these concerns are addressed and that we establish the most effective support for teachers who are crucial to the successful implementation of the overall ICT Schools programme.

Learndirect

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many individuals in Crosby have enrolled on Learndirect; how many courses are provided; and of the number of people enrolled how many (a) are new learners and (b) have no previous qualifications;
	(2)  how many SME's are sponsoring Learndirect learners within the Crosby constituency; and how many individuals from Crosby have contacted the Learndirect freephone advice line;
	(3)  if she will list Learndirect centres operating in the Crosby constituency.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 22 May 2002
	399 people in the Crosby constituency have enrolled on learndirect courses. There are 621 learndirect courses available currently. Information regarding the number of new learners and learners without qualifications is not available at constituency level.
	Information regarding SME's sponsorship of learndirect learners is not currently available at constituency level. Calls to the learndirect helpline are monitored at Standard Telephone District level only. Information at a constituency level is therefore unavailable.
	There is one learndirect centre in the Crosby constituency.
	This is Crosby Connect-to-Libraries Centre, Crosby Library, Crosby Road North, Crosby.

Skills (Luton)

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she plans to take to increase the skills levels of businesses and employees in Luton.

Margaret Hodge: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. I have therefore asked John Harwood, the Council's Chief Executive, to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and to place a copy of his reply in the Library.

Further Education

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to bring the level of funding in colleges up to that of schools.

Margaret Hodge: The Government are committed to raising the level of funding for colleges towards that of school sixth forms. By 2003–04 funding for further education will have risen by 26 per cent. in real terms since 1997. Further progress can only be made as resources allow and we cannot commit ourselves beyond the resources we secure. We are looking to the current Spending Review to provide the resources needed to deliver the Government's ambitious agenda for further education.

Further Education

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list for each year since 1997 the (a) capital resources committed and (b) additional revenue costs incurred on reorganisations involving 16 to 19 provisions.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 11 June 2002
	The information in respect of further education sector funding is estimated as follows:
	
		
			  Year Capital Funding Committed Revenue Funding Incurred  
		
		
			 1997–98 #0.9 million #0 
			 1998–99 #0.8 million #0 
			 1999–2000 #2.6 million #0.5 million 
			 2000–01 #0.5 million #1.2 million 
			 2001–02 #19.6 million #2.2 million 
		
	
	These figures relate to the financial year, 1 April to 31 March.
	Information on schools funding is not available because details of allocations to individual schools are held only by Local Education Authorities.

Further Education

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent research has been undertaken by her Department into (a) cost effectiveness and (b) the impact on quality and standards of different forms of organisation of 16 to 19 provision.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 11 June 2002
	In October 1999 OFSTED and the Adult Learning Inspectorate commenced a programme of area inspections that looked for the first time at the totalityy of LSC funded education and training for 16 to 19 year olds in an area. These provide an overview for local planning, organisation and delivery of 16 to 19 provision and the starting point for measurable, continuous improvement.
	Local LSCs and their partners can consider whether reconfiguration of provision is needed and whether this takes the form of new collaborative arrangements or more far-reaching organisational change. They take a view on the cost effectiveness of their proposals and clearly aim to improve both quality and standards.

Further Education

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions have taken place between her Department and (a) OFSTED, (b) Adult Learning Inspectorate and (c) the Learning and Skills Council about the organisation of 16 to 19 and adult learning provision.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 11 June 2002
	Proposals on 16 to 19 organisations were discussed with OFSTED, ALI and the Learning and Skills Council before the publication in September 2001 of our consultation document on 16 to 19 organisation and inspection. DfES Officials have subsequently maintained periodic contact with all three organisations over these proposals and related matters, including progress of the relevant legislation in the Education Bill currently before Parliament. In implementing the legislation, we shall be holding further discussions with all relevant bodies including the inspectorates and the LSC.
	The findings from area inspection reports, (prepared by OFSTED and ALI), may lead to consideration of local re-organisation for 16 to 19 learning opportunities. These are discussed with the LSC on a case by case basis.
	On the organisation of Adult Learning, officials continue to work closely with the LSC ad ALI on a range of issues including both organisations' relationship with learndirect, and the delivery of adult and community learning, workforce development, the Investors in People standard, and information advice and guidance for adults.

Further Education

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action she is taking to increase funding for further education colleges in line with funding for school sixth forms.

Margaret Hodge: The Government is committed to raising the level of funding for colleges towards that of school sixth forms. By 2003–04 funding for further education will have risen by 26 per cent. in real terms since 1997. Further progress can only be made as resources allow and it would be unwise to commit ourselves beyond the resources we secure. We are looking to the current Spending Review to provide the resources needed to deliver the Government's ambitious agenda for further education.

Special Needs

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children with special educational needs are unable to read.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not collected centrally.

European Council (Seville)

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the Government aims to achieve within the European Union's educational competence at the European Council's meeting at Seville; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The formal agenda for the Seville Council meeting on 21 and 22 June has not yet been finalised, and there is unlikely to be much discussion of education issues.
	The European Commission is preparing a feasibility study to identify options for helping secondary schools to establish or enhance an internet twinning link with a partner school elsewhere in Europe. This was agreed in principle at the Barcelona European Council, following a proposal from the UK and Spain. The Commission was asked to report back to the Seville Council on its findings. We believe there are considerable potential educational benefits in extending school twinning.
	Within the limits of Community competence in this area, we always aim to participate fully in any Council discussions, share good practice with other member states and co-operate with each other wherever it makes sense to do so.

Early Years Education

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 26 October 2001, Official Report, column 453W, on early years' education, if she will publish information on the number of places in early years settings taken up by (a) three year olds and (b) four year olds.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 10 June 2002
	The latest national figures on early years provision in England were published by my Department in the Statistical First Release 09/2002 XProvision For Children Under Five Years Of Age In England: January 2002" in May 2002, a copy of which is available from the Library. Figures at LEA level will be made available in the bulletin to be published in October 2002. An electronic copy of the SFR and the 2001 bulletin are currently available on my Department's website (www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics).

Early Years Education

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pre-school places there were in the (a) public and (b) private sector in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2001.

Margaret Hodge: The information is not available in the form requested. The headcount for numbers of children aged four in the private and voluntary sector was first collected in 1999 and for children aged three in 2000. The available information is shown in the table.
	The Department does not collect information on the total number of places in the private and voluntary sector.
	Latest figures on provision for children under five years of age in England were published by my Department in the Statistical First Release XProvision for Children Under Five Years of Age in England January 2002 (provisional estimates) (09/2002)" on 17 May 2002, a copy of which is available from the Library. An electronic copy of this publication is also available on my Department's website (www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics).

Early Years Education

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many places there were in day nurseries in each of the past five years; and how many day nurseries there were in each of those years;
	(2)  how many registered childminders there were in each of the past five years;
	(3)  how many playgroups there were in each of the past five years; and how many places were provided by playgroups in each of those years;
	(4)  how many places in after-school clubs were provided in each of the past five years;
	(5)  how many places were provided in school holiday schemes in each of the past five years.

Margaret Hodge: Information is not available in the form requested. The available information is shown in the tables. Local authorities provided the data.
	The decline in numbers in some sectors such as the childminding and playgroup sectors coincided with increases in other forms of childcare over the past few years. Since 1995, the number of registered day nurseries has increased from 4,800 to 7,300, the number of registered holiday schemes from 2,900 to 10,500 and the number of registered out of school clubs from 1,300 to 4,300. The number of places for children attending all day care providers rose from 1,182,400 in 1995 to 1,569,200 in 2000. Latest figures on Day Care facilities in England was published by my Department in the Statistical Bulletin XChildren's Day Care facilities at 31 March 2001 (08/01)" in October 2001, a copy of which is available from the Library.
	Since September 1999, we have also invested substantially in new free early years education places for three year-olds. 335,000 three year-olds took up free early years education places in January 2001, up from 214,000 in January 1997. We estimate that there are free early years education places available for all eligible four year-olds in England. Figures on the take up of free early years places was published in a table alongside Statistical Bulletin 11/2001 XProvision For Children Under Five Years Of Age in England—January 2001". An electronic copy of the Bulletin is available on my Department's website (www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics).
	Early estimates of day care provision in England at 31 March 2002 are expected to be published in a Statistical First Release in July.
	
		Table 1: Number of daycare providers, by type 1 England 1997–2001 -- Position at 31 March each year
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Day nurseries 6,100 6,700 7,000 7,500 7,800 
			 Registered childminders 98,500 94,700 82,200 75,600 72,300 
			 Playgroups and pre-schools 15,800 15,700 15,000 14,300 14,000 
		
	
	1 Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
	
		Table 2: Number of daycare providers, by type  1 , 2  -- England 1997–2001Position at 31 March each year
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Day nurseries 193,800 223,000 247,700 264,200 285,100 
			 Playgroups and pre-schools 383,700 383,600 347,200 353,100 330,200 
			 Out of school clubs 78,700 92,300 113,800 141,100 152,800 
			 Holiday schemes 209,000 256,500 435,3002 490,400 598,000 
		
	
	1 Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
	2 Additional guidelines were given to providers in 1999.

Lecturers

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many lecturers in further education have lost their jobs in the last year; and in which institutions these cuts have been made.

Ivan Lewis: Information on numbers of lecturers who lost their jobs is not available.

Higher Education Funding

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what (a) teaching and (b) research funding for higher education establishments was given in the last academic year, broken down by (i) new universities and colleges of higher education and (ii) old universities;
	(2)  what HEFCE funding for higher education institutions, divided into (a) new universities and colleges of higher education and (b) old universities there was in (i) this academic year and (ii) each academic year since 1995.

Margaret Hodge: The information is published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in its report XRecurrent grant for 2001–02: final allocations" (report 01/57) which records allocations of recurrent grant to higher education institutions and to further education colleges delivering higher education. Information for previous years is published in equivalent reports, the data for 2002–03 are provisional. Copies of all the reports are available at http://www.hefce.ac.uk/Pubs/

Primary Schools

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of maintained primary schools have a nursery.

Margaret Hodge: Provisional figures show that 35 per cent of maintained primary schools in England had a designated nursery class as at January 2002.

Higher Education Students

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what account is taken of the income of (a) resident step-parents or (b) non-resident parents in applying means tests to students in higher education.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 10 June 2002
	The means test for students in higher education takes account of the income of resident step-parents only where the step-parent has legally adopted the student. Where parents are separated or divorced it is for the LEA to decide which parent's income should be assessed. Where the resident parent's income is assessed, payments made by the non-resident parent to support the student or the household are included as part of the income assessment.

Higher Education Students

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the effect of the reduction in the availability of maintenance grants on the participation in higher education of students from poorer social classes.

Margaret Hodge: The proportion of young people from the three lowest socio-economic groups participating in higher education rose from 10 per cent. when loans were introduced in 1990 to 17 per cent. in 1998 when the new student support arrangements were introduced. The proportion had risen to 18 per cent. in 2000, the latest year for which data are available.

Higher Education Students

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the average level of debt faced by students on leaving higher education in the last 12 months.

Margaret Hodge: My Department has not commissioned a survey which includes estimates of student debt since the Student Income and Expenditure Survey of 1998–99. The next Survey is planned for 2002–03. Recent data on anticipated debt are available from the UNITE/MORI poll conducted in late 2001, which suggest today's students expect average debt on graduation of #8,133. Indicative figures in the 2002 Nat West Money Matters Survey suggest graduates in 2002 will leave with average debts of #10,000.
	A significant part of the debt arises from borrowing through the Student Loan Company. Repayment relates directly to earnings and the interest charged only reflects inflation. However, some debt is incurred in commercial borrowing to support a higher level of expenditure. These figures have to be considered in the context of graduates currently earning around 35 per cent. more than the national average and potentially #400,000 more over their working lives.

Higher Education Students

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what information she collects on the social composition of entrants to undergraduate courses in higher education.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 10 June 2002
	The most comprehensive information on the social composition of entrants to undergraduate courses in higher education is taken from data collected by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Although it is accepted that not all entrants or undergraduate courses use the UCAS route. UCAS assigns social class to applicants based upon the occupation of the parent with the highest income in the applicants household, as reported by the potential student. For applicants aged 21 or over, the occupation of the person contributing the highest income to the household is used.
	The latest UCAS data are shown in the table.
	
		Accepted applicants for full-time undergraduate courses, 2001 entry
		
			 Social class Numbers Percentage of known 
		
		
			 Professional 39,748 14 
			 Intermediate 120,831 44 
			 Skilled non-manual 38,774 14 
			 Skilled manual 48,412 18 
			 Partly skilled 23,114 8 
			 Unskilled 5,604 2 
			  
			 Total known 276,483 100 
			 Unknown 48,989 
			   
			 Grand total 325,472 
		
	
	Other information on the social composition of higher education entrants is also available from the Youth Cohort Study (YCS), a series of longitudinal surveys of young people that track their activities in the years immediately after they have completed compulsory education. The YCS is a sample survey of young people that employs a socio-economic group (SEG) classification that differs from the social class breakdown used by UCAS. Therefore, the two sources of information are not directly comparable.

University Lecturers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to increase the salaries of university lecturers.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 11 June 2002
	The Government play no part in setting the levels of pay in the higher education sector. These are subject to regulations between employers, their staff and their representative trade union bodies.

University Lecturers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action she has taken to encourage more people to enter into a career as a university lecturer.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 11 June 2002
	Our spending plans include #50 million in 2001–02, rising to #110 in 2002–03 and #170 million in 2003–04 to underpin the human resource strategies which each university and higher education college has submitted to the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and which include measures to address issues of recruitment and retention, especially in shortage subjects. Added to that, we gave a commitment to introduce a scheme of XGolden Hellos" for new staff in shortage subjects. We expect to announce our plans in the autumn.

Oxbridge Admissions Policy

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance (a) she and (b) the Higher Education Funding Council have issued to Oxford and Cambridge universities on admission policy with regard to the (i) social class origins and (ii) schools attended by undergraduate students; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 11 June 2002
	Neither my right hon. Friend nor the Funding Council have issued guidance specifically to Oxford or Cambridge universities on these matters. However, my right hon. Friend's letter to the Funding Council (29 November 2001) made it clear that all universities, particularly those significantly below their benchmarks for participation by under-represented groups, need to contribute to widening access to higher education.

Maintained Schools

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of maintained schools with no ethnic minority pupils.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 10 June 2002
	At January 2002 provisional information shows that there were 5,220 maintained schools in England with no recorded ethnic minority pupils.

Training Expenditure

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the estimated level of expenditure on training in the private sector was in each of the last 10 years.

Margaret Hodge: The total expenditure on training by employers in England was estimated at approximately #23 billion for 2000. This figure is based on the Learning and Training at Work 2000 survey. It includes indirect costs—the largest component is the wage costs of the trainees while in training. Comparable figures for earlier years and a breakdown into public and private sector expenditure are not available.

Local Education Authorities

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the requirements (a) removed from and (b) placed on local education authorities in the last year for which information is available.

David Miliband: The Department does not collect this information centrally, and to do so would incur disproportionate cost.

Teachers (Registration Fee)

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of (a) the number and (b) the percentage of teachers whose General Teaching Council registration fee has been collected by compulsory deduction by their employer.

David Miliband: The Secretary of State has made no such estimate. The collection of the registration fee is a matter for the General Teaching Council and I have asked the Chief Executive of the Council to write to the hon. Gentleman with information on the present position with regard to compulsory deductions. A copy of her response will be placed in the Library.

Departmental Grants

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which organisations which were in receipt of a grant from her in 1997–98 no longer are; what the annual saving is; which organisations which were not in receipt of a grant in 1997–98 now are; and what the annual cost is.

Estelle Morris: The information cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

XWelcome Back Bonus Scheme"

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the availability of the Welcome Back Bonus Scheme, with specific reference to the deadline and the eligibility for claiming it.

David Miliband: The conditions for payments under the Welcome Back Bonus Scheme were established by the Education (School Teachers' Pay and Conditions) (No. 6) Order 2001, which was laid before Parliament on 27 September last year.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Illegal Drugs

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking permanently to refuse entry to the United Kingdom to individuals apprehended for attempting to bring illegal drugs into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 21 May 2002
	There are provisions within the Immigration Rules that allow for the refusal of leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom (UK) of a person who is not a British citizen and who has been convicted of a serious crime, or whose presence here is undesirable. There is also scope for a court to recommend deportation at the end of their sentence of a person when they are convicted in the UK. Any person who is deported from the UK following a conviction for importing illegal drugs would not normally be allowed to return here for a minimum of 10 years.

Ms Christiana Olufunmolayo Olaifa

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will make a decision on the case of Ms Christiana Olufunmolayo Olaifa (ref. 01010047), referred to his Department's Referred Cases Unit from Lagos on 19 September 2001.

Beverley Hughes: The Referred Cases Unit in Lunar House did not receive the referral from Lagos dated 19 September 2001. A copy will be requested shortly and upon receipt a decision will be made as a matter of priority. I wrote to my hon. Friend on 12 June 2002 setting out the background to the case.

Dangerous Driving

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the penalties for causing death by dangerous driving; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Government receive correspondence from members of the public, MPs and the judiciary regarding the penalty for causing death by dangerous driving as well as the sentences imposed in individual cases. A good proportion of the representations are in favour of an increase in the penalty.
	The offence of causing death by dangerous driving was included within the ongoing review of road traffic penalties. We have received comprehensive and detailed responses to the proposals in the review's consultation paper, including comments on the proposals for the offence of causing death by dangerous driving, from many representative groups and organisations. We also received a large number of communications, either by letter or e-mail from members of the public. In addition, Ministers meet with representative groups such as RoadPeace and the Motorists Forum from time to time to discuss road traffic issues.
	We are in the final stages of completing the Government's response to the consultation exercise.

Youth Justice

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of restorative justice programmes in cutting re-offending by young offenders in each of the police authorities in the UK since 1997.

Hilary Benn: Recent Home Office research has included XAn Exploratory Evaluation of Restorative Justice Schemes" by David Miers et al (2001). More recently (May 2002), the Joseph Rowntree Foundation published XAn Evaluation of the Implementation and Effectiveness of an Initiative in Restorative Cautioning" in the Thames Valley Police area. And the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales has funded an evaluation of 46 restorative justice projects, the results of which are not yet available. We are not aware of any research which is broken down by police authority.

Youth Justice

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of promoting an increase in the number of solicitors specialising in youth justice cases as a means of decreasing levels of crime and re-offending.

Hilary Benn: We have considered with the Law Society strategies to promote a high quality service for youth justice cases. We are keen to see extension of the existing specialisation of solicitors in some areas, but this is more difficult to achieve outside large metropolitan areas. For many practices it would be uneconomic and impractical to focus simply on youth work and most undertake a mix of adult and youth work.
	We do consider it important that defence lawyers should be sufficiently well trained and competent to act for all their clients, including youths. Training in youth work is therefore being given greater emphasis. I particularly commend the recent Law Society guide to the youth court, produced with the help of the Youth Justice Board.

Youth Justice

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Chief of Youth Justice Board to discuss issues relating to youth justice.

Hilary Benn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Blunkett) last met the Chair of the Youth Justice Board to discuss issues related to youth justice on Wednesday 29 May 2002.

Youth Justice

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of rehabilitation programmes organised by (a) the Youth Justice Board and (b) in conjunction with the Youth Justice Board.

Hilary Benn: The Home Office sponsored Youth Justice Board is responsible for the development of effective practice and intervention programmes across the youth justice system. Evaluation reports on a range of these programmes are currently being prepared. They will be used to provide effective practice guidance to youth justice practitioners.
	The Home Office is also preparing an assessment of the effectiveness of the youth justice reforms in reducing juvenile offender reconviction rates. Results are due to be published later this year.

Youth Justice

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what benefit to the residents of Leyton and Wanstead the actions and policies of the Chairman of the Government's Youth Justice Board has been; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Leyton and Wanstead is covered by two Youth Offending Teams (Yots)—Waltham Forest and Redbridge. Both teams have benefited significantly from the Home Office sponsored Youth Justice Board (YJB) in a number of ways.
	The two Yots are receiving grant funding in 2002–03 from the YJB for general youth justice services, referral orders and substance misuse work. Waltham Forest is receiving grants totalling #229,048 and Redbridge grants totalling #184,066.
	The funding for substance misuse work will ensure that both Yots have access to a named drugs worker. Every young person who comes into contact with either Yot will be assessed with regard to substance misuse. The named drugs worker will provide intervention and referral to specialist agencies and services.
	The YJB also provided funding of approximately #250,000 between 1999 and 2002 to AMENDS, a restorative justice project covering Redbridge, Waltham Forest, Enfield and Haringey. The project is receiving further funding from the Board of #80,000 between 2001 and 2004.
	Redbridge Yot is receiving funding totalling #74,000 to operate a bail supervision and support scheme funded up to March 2004. The Yot is also receiving approximately #278,000 between 2001 and 2004 to operate a minority ethnic mentoring project.
	Neither area currently is covered by the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP). However, the YJB has been provided with additional funding of #4.5 million in response to the Street Crime Initiative to ensure all Yots in the 10 Street Crime Areas are covered. All the Outer London Yots, including Waltham Forest and Redbridge will be covered by these additional schemes. It is expected that they will have access to an ISSP scheme by Autumn 2002.
	Both Waltham Forest and Redbridge Yots are operating Splash Activity Schemes in Loxford and Chingford Hall during 2002. The schemes are aimed at providing young people in disadvantaged neighbourhoods across England and Wales with positive leisure activities during the 2000 February and Whitsun half terms and Easter and Summer school holidays. Each scheme has received a grant of #18,000 from the YJB to operate throughout these holiday periods.
	Waltham Forest Yot has also been approached to run five Splash Extra Schemes during Summer 2002. Splash Extra is being funded by the New Opportunities Fund and managed by the YJB. The initiative differs from regular Splash as it targets 9 to 17 year olds. Schemes are based in street crime hot spots identified by the Street Crime Action Team. Each scheme will receive funding of #25,000. Waltham Forest Yot is due to submit their application to the YJB shortly.
	There is also a Positive Futures project operating on the Beaumont and Oliver Close estates in Leyton which commenced in January 2002. Positive Futures is managed by YJB and aims to use sport to reduce anti-social behaviour, offending and drug misuse amongst 10 to 16 year olds from disadvantaged estates and neighbourhoods. The project is receiving funding of #117,000 per annum for two years.

Corporate Manslaughter

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to bring forward legislation on corporate manslaughter.

Hilary Benn: The Government are committed to introducing legislation to increase corporate liability for manslaughter, and will do so when Parliamentary time allows.

Passports

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place to replace a lost or stolen passport in the event of an emergency; what circumstances would be considered an emergency; and what discretion can be applied by the Passport Office.

Beverley Hughes: On personal application being made at one of its seven passport offices, in an emergency the United Kingdom Passport Service (UKPS) can replace a lost or stolen passport on the same day, or early the following day. The circumstances considered by the UKPS to be an emergency are:
	—Compassionate grounds—where the applicant is travelling abroad because of the death or serious illness of a family member or friend; or for hospital treatment; and where travel has been arranged for the seriously ill, and their carers by charitable organisations.
	—Urgent business travel which can be confirmed by a supporting company letter.
	—Where the passport has been stolen within the last week and travel has already been booked and paid for. In such cases evidence such as a crime reference report or reference number is sought.
	In all these circumstances the United Kingdom Passport Service will require time to complete the necessary identity and eligibility checks to confirm the issue of a replacement passport. If it is not possible in such circumstances to complete all these checks, a passport restricted to 12 months validity may be granted.
	The same day (premium) service now available from UKPS public counters is not normally available for applications to replace lost, stolen, damaged or unavailable passports, as access to the original issue file and possible further identity checks may be required. The emergency exceptions to the normal policy are therefore tightly drawn to ensure consistency of practice, and to maintain the integrity of the British Passport.

Anti-terrorism Measures

Mike O'Brien: To ask the Secretary for the Home Department what reforms of the organisations dealing with anti-terrorist intelligence and investigation he plans in order to deal with the terrorist threat.

David Blunkett: I keep the threat from terrorism under constant review, through my chairmanship of the Ministerial committee on terrorism, and receive regular briefings from the Security Service and the police. If organisational changes are required I will make them. Following the budget statement on 17 April 2002, I announced additional resources for countering terrorism which will allow the enhancement of existing preventative work.

Charity Registration

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals his Department plans to bring forward exemptions to compulsory registration of charities following the expiry of the Charity Act Regulations on voluntary registration in September.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 11 June 2002
	The position of charities excepted from registration with the Charity Commission is currently under consideration with a view to an announcement on future arrangements being made before the Summer Recess.

Asylum Seekers

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been settled in (a) each region of England, (b) Scotland, (c)  Wales, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) Greater London by the National Asylum Support Service in each quarter since it came into operation.

Beverley Hughes: The information is not available in the form requested. Only those asylum seekers requesting that accommodation be provided as part of an application for support are liable to be dispersed. Other supported asylum seekers receiving subsistence only may choose to live in a particular area whilst their application for asylum is considered.
	The table shows the number of asylum seekers including dependants, supported in National Asylum Support Service (NASS) accommodation or receiving subsistence only support in each region as at the end of each quarter since December 2000.
	
		Number of asylum seekers (including dependants) in each region as at the end of each quarter since December 2000 1,2
		
			 Region End of December 2000 End of March 2001 End of June 2001 End of September 2001 End of December 2001 
		
		
			 England 
			 East Midlands 900 1,390 1,800 2,630 3,720 
			 East of England 470 1,030 1,370 1,580 2,010 
			 Greater London 6,460 9,830 12,980 15,000 19,380 
			 North East 2,440 3,240 4,100 4,380 4,840 
			 North West 3,560 4,840 6,180 7,200 8,600 
			 South Central 1,530 2,020 2,570 3,150 3,950 
			 South West 530 630 740 880 1,010 
			 West Midlands 1,490 2,360 3,900 5,640 7,450 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 3,640 4,960 6,070 7,330 8,760 
			 Total England 21,000 30,310 39,700 47,780 59,720 
			   
			 Scotland 1,320 2,570 3,720 4,380 4,990 
			 Wales 80 90 390 560 840 
			 Northern Ireland * 40 60 70 80 
			 Total United Kingdom 22,400 33,010 43,870 52,790 65,630 
		
	
	1 Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10, * indicates a number between one and four.
	Figures may not sum due to rounding.
	2 Figures exclude cases where the asylum seekers support has been ceased.
	Information on the number of asylum seekers supported in each region by NASS is published quarterly. The next publication will cover the period up to March 2002, and will be available from 31 May 2002 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Child Abuse

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action the Government have taken to review the procedures followed and personnel employed in complex child abuse investigations, and in particular to issue guidance to agencies on record-keeping and information-sharing in such cases.

John Denham: Inter-agency guidance on the strategic management of complex child abuse investigations is published today in response to Recommendation 22 of XLost in Care", the Report of the Tribunal of Inquiry into the abuse of children in care in the former county council areas of Gwynedd and Clwyd since 1974.
	This new guidance builds on the key principles for investigating organised or multiple abuse set out in the Government's child protection guidance XWorking Together to Safeguard Children", published in 1999. It has been developed by an inter-agency working group, chaired by the Association of Chief Police Officers, which drew together the experience of a number of police forces, local authorities and voluntary organisations which have been closely involved in undertaking complex child abuse investigations.
	The guidance is aimed primarily at the police and social services. It focuses on the specific issues highlighted in Recommendation 22 of access to records and information-sharing, and it also provides practical advice on key inter-agency issues such as setting up and closing an investigation, victim and witness support and media handling. The guidance also addresses concerns raised by those who have questioned the investigative methods used in inquiries, including the methods used to contact potential witnesses and the treatment of alleged offenders.
	Copies of the guidance have been placed in the Library.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of (a) disability living allowance, (b) council tax benefit, (c) housing benefit, (d) incapacity benefit, (e) income support and (f) invalid care allowance in (i) the Edinburgh West constituency, (ii) Scotland and (iii) the UK; and what percentage these figures represent of the estimated numbers of the people who are eligible for the benefit in these respective areas.

Malcolm Wicks: The available information on the numbers of benefit recipients is in the tables.
	
		Numbers of Benefit Recipients—Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Income Support and Invalid Care Allowance
		
			 Benefit Great Britain Scotland Edinburgh West Parliamentary Constituency 
		
		
			 Disability Living Allowance 2,298,000 256,500 2,400 
			 Incapacity Benefit 1,503,800 189,900 1,700 
			 Income Support 3,940,700 418,000 3,000 
			 Invalid Care Allowance 376,215 37,095 415 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit and Income Support figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and are subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	2. Invalid Care Allowance figures are rounded to the nearest five.
	3. Social security matters in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
	Source:
	Disability Living Allowance 5 per cent. sample—30 November 2001.
	Incapacity Benefit 5 per cent. sample—30 November 2001.
	Income Support Quarterly 5 per cent. Statistical Enquiry—February 2002.
	Invalid Care Allowance 100 per cent. count—31 December 2001.

Child Support Agency

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will provide a substantive reply from the Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 23 April concerning a constituent Ref. PCU113052.

Malcolm Wicks: The Chief Executive, Mr Doug Smith, has now written to my hon. Friend.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Combat Effectiveness and Gender Study

Andrew Turner: To ask the Minister what discussions she has had with the Ministry of Defence on the combat effectiveness and gender study.

Patricia Hewitt: I have not had specific discussions with my right hon. Friend the Minister for Defence about his study of combat effectiveness and gender. I understand, however, that the Equal Opportunities Commission has been involved with the Ministry of Defence in analysing the role of women in the forces leading up to the study which was published on 22 May.

Employment and Race Directive

Julie Morgan: To ask the Minister if she will make a statement on the recent conclusion of the consultation on the article 13 employment and race directive.

Patricia Hewitt: We have had an excellent response Towards Equality and Diversity consultation: over 850 submissions from individuals, businesses—including smaller enterprises; the voluntary sector; public employers; and a wide range of representative bodies.
	We are analysing the responses and will begin further consultation on may detailed issues in the autumn. We will put a summary of the results of the consultation in the Libraries of the House at the same time.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Judiciary

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to review the (a) qualifications criteria, (b) age criteria and (c) method of appointment to the judiciary; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: (a) Eligibility for appointment to professional judicial office is determined by statute. There are no plans at present to review these requirements.
	(b) The Lord Chancellor has recently reviewed age criteria and on 30 April this year he removed most of the age limits previously in place for judicial appointments for which he is responsible.
	(c) The Lord Chancellor asked Sir Leonard Peach to review judicial appointment procedures in 1999, and following the recommendations in that report, an assessment centre approach is being piloted for the current Deputy District Judge (Civil), Deputy District Judge (Magistrates) and Deputy Queen's Bench Masters competitions. The pilots will run during October and November this year. Assessment activities, lasting one full day, will include role-plays, written exercises, a written test, and an interview. The pilot will be evaluated in early 2003.
	The Lord Chancellor is committed to ensuring that there is an open effective and accessible system where everyone who is eligible for, and who wants, an appointment has a fair chance to secure it.

Crown Court (Buckinghamshire)

David Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if it is his policy to move towards a single location for a Crown Court within Buckinghamshire.

Yvette Cooper: There is currently only one Crown Court location within Buckinghamshire, namely Aylesbury. This has been the case since the introduction of the Crown Court in 1972.

Freedom of Information

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list those attending the March seminar held in connection with implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, indicating which Departments had a ministerial presence.

Yvette Cooper: Attendance at the seminar held on 13 March, by the Centre for Management and Policy Studies was as follows:
	
		
			   Department 
		
		
			  
			 Participants 
			 The Rt. Hon. Baroness Blackstone Minister of State (Arts) Department for Culture Media and Sport 
			 Ann Campbell MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to Secretary of State Department of Trade and Industry 
			 Mr. Ian Cawsey MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to Lord Williams House of Lords 
			 Mr. George Foulkes MP Minister of State Scotland Office 
			 Mr. Mike Gapes MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to Secretary of State Home Office 
			 The Rt. Hon. Harriet Harman QC Solicitor General Law Officers' Department 
			 Mr. Denis Haughey MLA Junior Minister Northern Ireland Executive 
			 Ms Ruth Kelly MP Economic Secretary HM Treasury 
			 Mr. James Leslie MLA Junior Minister Northern Ireland Executive 
			 Mr. Christopher Leslie MP Parliamentary Secretary Cabinet Office 
			 The Lord McIntosh of Haringey Gentleman at Arms Captain of the Yeoman (Deputy Chief Whip) House of Lords 
			 Mr. Colin Pickthall MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary Foreign and Commonwealth Office 
			 Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC Parliamentary Secretary Lord Chancellor's Department 
			 Mr Neil Turner MP Parliamentary Private Secretary Department for Work and Pensions 
			 Dr. Alan Whitehead MP Parliamentary Secretary Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
			 Chairs and Speakers 
			 Mr. Michael Wills MP Parliamentary Secretary Lord Chancellor's Department 
			 Mr. Alan Cogbill Director, Civil Justice and Legal Services Lord Chancellor's Department 
			 Mr. Lee Hughes Head of Freedom of Information and Data Protection Division Lord Chancellor's Department 
			 Other Attendees 
			 Ms Alice French Private Officer Law Officers' Department 
			 Miss Ruth Gardiner Assistant Private Secretary Lord Chancellor's Department 
			 Mr. Stephen Cowan Private Secretary Northern Ireland Executive 
			 Mr John Hughes Senior Civil Service Home Office 
			 Mr. David Lamby Special Adviser to the Secretary of State Department for Education and Skills

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

Human Rights Act

John Bercow: To ask the Advocate-General how many cases have been brought against her Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what has been the cost in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments.

Lynda Clark: No cases have been brought against either me or my right hon. Friend the Secretary of state for Scotland under the Human Rights Act 1998. Human rights are now integrated in the general law and are rarely the sole basis for a challenge.
	In Scotland human rights points may arise as Xdevolution issues" as defined in paragraph 1, Part I of schedule 6 to the Scotland Act 1998 and since May 1999 over 1,400 devolution issues have been intimated to me.
	We do not collect information centrally about the costs to public funds, legal fees or compensation payments in cases which include a human rights issue. In most cases it would be difficult to single out associated costs relating to the human rights element.

SCOTLAND

Human Rights Act

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases have been brought against her Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what has been the cost to public funds to date in (a) legal fees to defence cases and (b) compensation payments.

Helen Liddell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. and learned Friend the Advocate-General.

PRIVY COUNCIL

Members of Parliament (Personal Data)

Eric Forth: To ask the President of the Council what information is held by his Department on each hon. Member in relation to (a) personal relationships, both current and past, (b) financial status and dealings, (c) connections with companies and interest groups, (d) connections with Governments and (e) published works; and what was held in January 2002.

Robin Cook: My department does not hold such information.
	It does however, maintain a database which contains the names and contact details of each right hon. Member who is a Privy Counsellor.

HEALTH

Prescribing Policies

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers doctors possess to prescribe drugs in contravention of local authority policy; what drugs have been prescribed by doctors against local authority policy; how many people have received drugs against local policy in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: The prescribing duties of general practitioners are set out in the National Health Service (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992. Schedule 10 and Schedule 11 of these regulations list the drugs which may not be prescribed by GPs. Local NHS bodies have no power to introduce additional statutory restrictions.
	Hospital specialists are expected to prescribe within the terms of local service agreements.
	We do not collect detailed information about local prescribing policies.

Radiologists and Chiropodists

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) radiologists and (b) chiropodists there are per head of population in each of the National Health Service trust areas in England.

John Hutton: Population data are not available by trust but has been given by health authority.
	(a) [Between 1997 and 2001 the number of Radiologists has increased by 203 or 14 per cent.]
	(b) [Between 1997 and 2001 the number of Chiropodists has increased by 270 or 8 per cent.]
	
		Hospital medical staff within the clinical radiology speciality by Region and Health Authority -- At 30 September 2001
		
			  All Staff nowte per 100,000 1 nowte per head 1 nowte 
		
		
			 Eastern 
			  
			 Bedfordshire HA 20 10 2.6 2.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Cambridge HA 60 60 8.3 7.5 0.0 0.0 
			 Hertfordshire HA 30 20 2.5 2.4 0.0 0.0 
			 Norfolk HA 30 30 4.2 4.0 0.0 0.0 
			 North Essex HA 20 20 2.2 2.0 0.0 0.0 
			 South Essex HA 10 10 1.5 1.5 0.0 0.0 
			 Suffolk HA 20 10 2.5 2.1 0.0 0.0 
			 London 
			 Barking & Havering HA 10 10 3.7 3.6 0.0 0.0 
			 Barnet, Enfield & Haringey HA 20 20 2.3 2.1 0.0 0.0 
			 Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich HA 20 20 3.4 3.1 0.0 0.0 
			 Brent & Harrow HA 40 30 7.9 7.2 0.0 0.0 
			 Camden & Islington HA 100 80 27.4 22.3 0.0 0.0 
			 Croydon HA 10 10 2.6 2.6 0.0 0.0 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith & Hounslow HA 80 70 10.7 9.6 0.0 0.0 
			 East London & The City HA 50 50 8.3 7.9 0.0 0.0 
			 Hillingdon HA 10 10 3.5 3.3 0.0 0.0 
			 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster HA 70 70 17.8 16.1 0.0 0.0 
			 Kingston & Richmond HA 10 10 4.0 3.8 0.0 0.0 
			 Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham HA 100 90 12.7 11.4 0.0 0.0 
			 Merton, Sutton & Wandsworth HA 60 50 9.5 8.3 0.0 0.0 
			 Redbridge & Waltham Forest HA 10 10 1.3 1.3 0.0 0.0 
			 North West 
			 Bury & Rochdale HA 10 10 2.0 1.9 0.0 0.0 
			 East Lancashire HA 20 20 3.5 3.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Liverpool HA 40 40 8.8 8.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Manchester HA 80 70 17.8 17.1 0.0 0.0 
			 Morecambe Bay HA 10 10 3.5 3.5 0.0 0.0 
			 North Cheshire HA 10 10 4.5 4.4 0.0 0.0 
			 North West Lancashire HA 30 30 5.7 5.4 0.0 0.0 
			 Salford & Trafford HA 30 30 7.0 6.5 0.0 0.0 
			 Sefton HA 30 30 11.3 10.9 0.0 0.0 
			 South Cheshire HA 20 20 3.5 3.4 0.0 0.0 
			 South Lancashire HA 10 10 3.8 3.8 0.0 0.0 
			 St Helens & Knowsley HA 10 10 3.0 3.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Stockport HA 10 10 3.7 3.5 0.0 0.0 
			 West Pennine HA 10 10 3.0 3.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Wigan & Bolton HA 30 20 4.5 4.3 0.0 0.0 
			 Wirral HA 20 20 5.6 5.1 0.0 0.0 
			 Northern & Yorkshire 
			 Bradford HA 20 20 3.5 3.3 0.0 0.0 
			 Calderdale & Kirklees HA 20 10 2.6 2.3 0.0 0.0 
			 County Durham HA 20 10 2.5 2.4 0.0 0.0 
			 East Riding HA 40 30 6.0 5.8 0.0 0.0 
			 Gateshead & South Tyneside HA 20 20 5.7 5.2 0.0 0.0 
			 Leeds HA 70 70 9.8 9.3 0.0 0.0 
			 Newcastle & North Tyneside HA 60 50 11.7 10.6 0.0 0.0 
			 North Cumbria HA 10 10 3.4 3.3 0.0 0.0 
			 North Yorkshire HA 30 20 3.4 2.9 0.0 0.0 
			 Northumberland HA 10 10 3.9 3.5 0.0 0.0 
			 Sunderland HA 10 10 4.5 4.5 0.0 0.0 
			 Tees HA 30 30 4.7 4.7 0.0 0.0 
			 Wakefield HA 10 10 2.8 2.6 0.0 0.0 
			 South East 
			 Berkshire HA 20 10 2.8 1.4 0.0 0.0 
			 Buckinghamshire HA 20 20 2.7 2.5 0.0 0.0 
			 East Kent HA 20 20 3.3 3.1 0.0 0.0 
			 East Surrey HA 10 10 2.3 2.2 0.0 0.0 
			 East Sussex HA 20 20 2.9 2.8 0.0 0.0 
			 Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire HA 20 20 3.5 3.1 0.0 0.0 
			 North & Mid Hampshire HA 20 10 3.0 2.6 0.0 0.0 
			 Northamptonshire HA 20 10 2.5 2.1 0.0 0.0 
			 Oxfordshire HA 60 50 9.2 8.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Southampton and South West Hampshire HA 60 40 10.3 6.4 0.0 0.0 
			 West Kent HA 30 30 2.9 2.5 0.0 0.0 
			 West Surrey HA 30 30 4.9 4.5 0.0 0.0 
			 West Sussex HA 20 20 2.2 2.0 0.0 0.0 
			 South Western 
			 Avon HA 80 70 8.4 6.8 0.0 0.0 
			 Cornwall & Isles of Scilly HA 20 10 3.0 2.8 0.0 0.0 
			 Dorset HA 30 30 4.1 3.9 0.0 0.0 
			 Gloucestershire HA 20 20 3.0 2.9 0.0 0.0 
			 North & East Devon HA 10 10 2.7 2.5 0.0 0.0 
			 Somerset HA 20 10 3.2 2.7 0.0 0.0 
			 South & West Devon HA 50 50 8.4 7.5 0.0 0.0 
			 Wiltshire HA 20 20 2.6 2.5 0.0 0.0 
			 Trent 
			 Barnsley HA 10 10 2.6 2.2 0.0 0.0 
			 Doncaster HA 10 10 3.8 3.7 0.0 0.0 
			 Leicestershire HA 50 50 5.7 5.4 0.0 0.0 
			 Lincolnshire HA 20 20 2.7 2.5 0.0 0.0 
			 North Derbyshire HA 10 10 1.9 1.7 0.0 0.0 
			 North Nottinghamshire HA 10 10 2.6 2.5 0.0 0.0 
			 Nottingham HA 40 40 6.5 6.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Rotherham HA 0 0 0.8 0.8 0.0 0.0 
			 Sheffield HA 50 40 9.1 8.3 0.0 0.0 
			 South Derbyshire HA 20 20 3.0 2.8 0.0 0.0 
			 South Humber HA 10 0 2.0 1.4 0.0 0.0 
			 West Midlands 
			 Birmingham HA 90 90 9.3 8.6 0.0 0.0 
			 Coventry HA 20 20 6.6 5.9 0.0 0.0 
			 Dudley HA 10 10 2.2 2.1 0.0 0.0 
			 Herefordshire HA 0 0 2.3 2.3 0.0 0.0 
			 North Staffordshire HA 30 20 6.5 4.5 0.0 0.0 
			 Sandwell HA 10 10 3.8 3.5 0.0 0.0 
			 Shropshire HA 20 20 4.3 4.0 0.0 0.0 
			 South Staffordshire HA 10 10 2.2 2.1 0.0 0.0 
			 Walsall HA 0 0 1.9 1.5 0.0 0.0 
			 Warwickshire HA 10 10 2.3 2.1 0.0 0.0 
			 Wolverhampton HA 20 20 7.1 6.5 0.0 0.0 
			 Worcester HA 10 10 2.4 2.2 0.0 0.0 
		
	
	Note:
	1 Calculated using unrounded figures.
	Figures are rounded to the nearest ten
	X0" denotes five or less.
	Source:
	Department of Health 2001 medical and dental workforce census.
	
		NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff employed in the Chiropody area of Work and per 100,000 population in England as at 30 September 2001
		
			  Whole-time equivalents Per 100,000 population Per head of population Headcount 
		
		
			 England 2,890 6 0.00006 3,560 
			 YO1 Northern & Yorkshire 2440 7 0.00007 530 
			 QDD Bradford HA 40 8 0.00008 40 
			 QDE County Durham & Darlington HA 40 6 0.00006 40 
			 QDF East Riding & Hull HA 20 4 0.00004 30 
			 QDG Gateshead & South Tyneside HA 30 7 0.00007 30 
			 QDH Leeds HA 40 6 0.00006 50 
			 QDJ Newcastle & North Tyneside HA 30 6 0.00006 30 
			 QDK North Cumbria HA 30 9 0.00009 30 
			 QDM Northumberland HA 40 13 0.00013 50 
			 QDN Sunderland HA 20 7 0.00007 20 
			 QDP Tees HA 40 7 0.00007 40 
			 QDQ Wakefield HA 20 7 0.00007 30 
			 QDR North Yorkshire HA 50 6 0.00006 60 
			 QDT Calderdale & Kirklees HA 60 9 0.00009 60 
			 YO2 Trent 270 5 0.00005 340 
			 QCG Barnsley HA 20 8 0.00008 20 
			 QCH North Derbyshire HA 30 8 0.00008 40 
			 QCJ Southern Derbyshire HA 30 6 0.00006 40 
			 QCK Doncaster HA 10 4 0.00004 20 
			 QCL Leicestershire HA 40 4 0.00004 50 
			 QCM Lincolnshire HA 30 5 0.00005 40 
			 QCN North Nottinghamshire HA 20 5 0.00005 20 
			 QCP Nottingham HA 30 5 0.00005 40 
			 QCQ Rotherham HA 10 5 0.00005 10 
			 QCR Sheffield HA 30 6 0.00006 40 
			 QDL South Humber HA 10 5 0.00005 20 
			 YO7 West Midlands 330 6 0.00006 430 
			 QD9 Birmingham HA 60 6 0.00006 70 
			 QEA Coventry HA 10 4 0.00004 20 
			 QEC Dudley HA 30 8 0.00008 40 
			 QED Herefordshire HA * 2 0.00002 10 
			 QEE Sandwell HA 30 10 0.00010 30 
			 QEF Shropshire HA 20 5 0.00005 30 
			 QEG Solihull HA 10 3 0.00003 10 
			 QEH North Staffordshire HA 50 11 0.00011 60 
			 QEJ South Staffordshire HA 30 5 0.00005 40 
			 QEK Walsall HA 20 7 0.00007 20 
			 QEL Warwickshire HA 30 6 0.00006 40 
			 QEM Wolverhampton HA 10 6 0.00006 20 
			 QEN Worcestershire HA 30 5 0.00005 40 
			 YO8 North West 570 9 0.00009 690 
			 QC1 South Lancashire HA 10 4 0.00004 20 
			 QC2 Liverpool HA 30 7 0.00007 40 
			 QC3 Manchester HA 50 12 0.00012 60 
			 QC4 Morecambe Bay HA 20 6 0.00006 20 
			 QC5 St Helen's & Knowsley HA 30 9 0.00009 30 
			 QC6 Salford & Trafford HA 50 11 0.00011 60 
			 QC7 Sefton HA 20 8 0.00008 30 
			 QC8 Stockport HA 20 8 0.00008 30 
			 QC9 West Pennine HA 50 10 0.00010 50 
			 QCT Bury & Rochdale HA 40 9 0.00009 40 
			 QCV North Cheshire HA 40 11 0.00011 40 
			 QCW South Cheshire HA 20 4 0.00004 30 
			 QCX East Lancashire HA 40 8 0.00008 50 
			 QCY North West Lancashire HA 40 10 0.00010 50 
			 QDA Wigan and Bolton HA 80 13 0.00013 90 
			 QDC Wirral HA 20 6 0.00006 30 
			 YO9 Eastern 230 4 0.00004 280 
			 QA6 Bedfordshire HA 20 4 0.00004 30 
			 QAX North Essex HA 30 4 0.00004 40 
			 QAY South Essex HA 30 4 0.00004 30 
			 QCF Suffolk HA 30 5 0.00005 40 
			 QER Cambridgeshire HA 20 3 0.00003 30 
			 QET Norfolk HA 50 6 0.00006 60 
			 QEX Hertfordshire HA 40 3 0.00003 50 
			 Y10 London 440 6 0.00006 530 
			 QA2 Hillingdon HA — — — — 
			 QA3 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster HA 60 14 0.00014 70 
			 QA5 Redbridge & Waltham Forest HA 30 7 0.00007 40 
			 QAD Croydon HA 20 4 0.00004 20 
			 QAG Kingston & Richmond HA 10 3 0.00003 10 
			 QAH Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham HA 70 9 0.00009 80 
			 QAJ Merton, Sutton & Wandsworth HA 50 8 0.00008 60 
			 QAP Barking & Havering HA 20 4 0.00004 20 
			 QAR Brent & Harrow HA 30 6 0.00006 30 
			 QAT Camden & Islington HA 40 10 0.00010 40 
			 QAV Ealing, Hammersmith & Hounslow HA 10 2 0.00002 20 
			 QAW East London & the City HA 40 6 0.00006 50 
			 QEW Barnet, Enfield & Haringey HA 40 4 0.00004 40 
			 QEY Bexley, Bromley & Greenwich HA 40 5 0.00005 40 
			 Y11 South East 390 4 0.00004 480 
			 QA7 Berkshire HA 30 4 0.00004 40 
			 QA8 Buckinghamshire HA 40 6 0.00006 40 
			 QAE East Kent HA 40 7 0.00007 50 
			 QAF West Kent HA 30 3 0.00003 40 
			 QAK East Surrey HA 10 2 0.00002 20 
			 QAL West Surrey HA 20 4 0.00004 30 
			 QAM East Sussex, Brighton & Hove HA 40 5 0.00005 50 
			 QAN West Sussex HA 40 5 0.00005 50 
			 QCC Northamptonshire HA 30 5 0.00005 40 
			 QCE Oxfordshire HA 30 4 0.00004 40 
			 QD1 North & Mid Hampshire HA 10 3 0.00003 20 
			 QD3 Southampton & South West Hampshire HA 20 4 0.00004 20 
			 QEV Isle of Wight, Portsmouth & South East Hampshire HA 40 6 0.00006 50 
			 Y12 South West 220 4 0.00004 280 
			 QD5 Somerset HA * 1 0.00001 * 
			 QD6 South & West Devon HA 40 6 0.00006 50 
			 QD7 Wiltshire HA 30 4 0.00004 30 
			 QD8 Avon HA 50 5 0.00005 70 
			 QDV Cornwall & Isles of Scilly HA 30 5 0.00005 30 
			 QDW Dorset HA 20 3 0.00003 30 
			 QDX North & East Devon HA 20 4 0.00004 30 
			 QDY Gloucestershire HA 30 5 0.00005 40 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Staff in post figures are rounded to the nearest ten. Population rates are rounded to the nearest whole number and five decimal place. Due to rounding totals may not equal the sum of component parts.
	2. Ratios, per head of 100,000 population for chiropodists, range from one to 14, the lowest being Somerset Health Authority that is responsible for one trust only, which does not employ any chiropodists. Neighbouring health authorities provide services for Hillingdon which is also responsible for one trust and does not employ any NHS chiropodists. Herefordshire Health authority provides chiropody services but for statistical purposes are rounded to the nearest whole number.
	* five or less and greater than zero.
	— zero
	Source;
	Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.

NHS Name and Logo

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he takes to protect the NHS name and logo from use by companies for commercial gain.

David Lammy: We have a clear strategy for branding the National Health Service and we adopt a strong position in protecting the brand against inappropriate use.
	In every case where we are aware of misuse by third parties, we contact the organisation concerned and request that the logo is removed. Where necessary, we take the advice of our solicitors.
	The NHS logo is a registered trademark.

Medical Emergencies

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision is made for ensuring that patients are not at risk in emergency situations when members of a full emergency medical team are on call rather than on duty on site; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: The responsibility for ensuring that emergency services, including a full emergency medical team, are staffed according to the demand for emergency care, lies with individual National Health Service trusts.
	Individual trusts have policies and procedures in place to provide an appropriate emergency response for the wide spectrum of emergency care that they may need to provide from individual cases to major incidents.

Medical Emergencies

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulations are in place to ensure that hospitals that have the facility for full emergency theatre teams have such teams on duty on site during the night; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: The responsibility for ensuring that emergency services, including the provision of emergency theatres, are staffed according to the demand for emergency care, lies with individual trusts. Normally, trusts who provide a 24 hour emergency service will have a core theatre team to cover emergency surgery and an additional complement of staff Xon-call" to supplement the core team if required. This aspect is not Xregulated" as such, but will form part of trusts' clinical governance and risk management programmes. The Commission for Health Improvement audit and inspection includes the organisation and standards of emergency care provided by trusts.

Funding (Luton, South)

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what moneys have been provided (a) directly and (b) via agencies for which the Department has responsibility to the Luton, South constituency since 1997.

David Lammy: Monies have been provided to the former Bedfordshire Health Authority and to the Luton Health Action Zone. The funds are not specifically identified to the Luton, South constituency because deployment is a matter for local determination.
	The overall settlement for Bedfordshire in 2002–03, #419.9 million, was a #39.1 million or 10.5 per cent. increase, the fourth largest of any health authority in England.
	The constituency does, however, have some of the highest deprivation in Luton and health action zone funding is targeted at areas of deprivation.

Air Ambulance Service

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the Air Ambulance Service is funded in each region in which it operates.

David Lammy: Funding for ambulance services in England is provided by independent air ambulance charities.
	In recognition of the time it takes local air ambulance charities to build their fundraising base, short-term government funding of #2.2 million has been made available across 2001–02 and 2002–03 to help the five air ambulance charities in England who have asked for temporary assistance in meeting their operational costs. The money will be shared between Yorkshire, Dorset and Somerset, North West, East Anglia and Thames Valley and Chiltern air ambulance.
	In addition, in January 2002, guidance was issued to National Health Service ambulance trusts and their commissioners stating that the salary costs of the NHS clinical staff who crew that aircraft should be met from NHS funds. This equivalent to around #150,000 per aircraft each year or a total of around #2.1 million across England.

Air Ambulance Service

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when decisions on the XOptions for Change" consultation on the future of NHS dentistry will be made; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: The Government plan to publish the final Options for Change report shortly.

Dentistry

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to provide incentives for dentists to stay in the NHS.

David Lammy: holding answer 10 May 2002
	Over the last 18 months we have spent #100 million on modernising National Health Service dentistry. #10 million of this was for the dental care development fund and the dentistry action plan fund to support local plans to improve access. This money enables health authorities to assist dentists seeking to set up new practices and to expand and modernise existing ones. Furthermore, the #35 million Modernisation Fund provided grants for dentists to improve facilities.
	Additionally, the commitment payment scheme, introduced from April 1999, provides incentive payments to dentists, depending on how much NHS work they undertake. From April 2002, the scheme was extended to include dentists who have 5 years or more service in the NHS. Officials continue to work with the profession to see how the scheme might be strengthened in the future.
	The Department is also undertaking work with the profession and other stakeholders through the modernising project Options for Change, to test out new methods of providing NHS dentistry.

Dentistry

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many courses of treatment were delivered through personal dental access services in each year since 1998.

David Lammy: The total number of courses of treatment carried out in the personal dental service (PDS) is shown in the table for each of the years 1998–99 to 2001–02.
	The table includes courses of treatment carried out in dental access centres as well as other PDS pilots.
	
		Personal Dental Service: Number of courses of treatment -- thousands
		
			 Year Number 
		
		
			 1998–99 73 
			 1999–2000 217 
			 2000–01 312 
			 2001–02 480

Dentistry

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many courses of treatment were delivered through dental access centres in each year since 1998.

David Lammy: The total number of courses of treatment carried out in dental access centres is shown in the table for each of the years 1998–99 to 2001–02.
	
		Personal Dental Service: Number of courses of treatment in Dental Access Centres -- thousands
		
			 Year Number 
		
		
			 1998–99 5 
			 1999–2000 23 
			 2000–01 70 
			 2001–02 197

Dentistry

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many personal dental services posts were (a) established and (b) filled, broken down by health authority, in each year since 1998.

David Lammy: The available information is for the number of dentists working in the personal dental service (PDS). This is shown in the table by health authority at 31 March for each year from 1999 to 2002.
	The figures are on a headcount basis rather than whole time equivalent and take no account of part-time working.
	Some of the PDS dentists also work in other National Health Service dental services such as the General Dental Service and the Community Dental Service.
	
		Personal Dental Service (PDS): Total number of dentists by Health Authority at 31 March 1999 to 2002 England
		
			 Health Authority 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 England 140 252 472 891 
			 Avon 0 0 1 11 
			 Barnet, Enfield & Haringey 0 0 0 4 
			 Barnsley 0 0 1 1 
			 Bedfordshire 5 8 9 36 
			 Berkshire 0 0 0 2 
			 Bexley, Bromley & Greenwich 0 3 7 7 
			 Birmingham 0 0 33 43 
			 Bradford 0 0 0 17 
			 Buckinghamshire 16 13 24 29 
			 Bury & Rochdale 0 0 2 5 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 6 7 
			 Camden & Islington 0 0 0 1 
			 Cornwall & Isles of Scilly 19 23 30 42 
			 County Durham & Darlington 0 4 5 7 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith & Hounslow 17 16 13 13 
			 East Kent 0 0 3 7 
			 East Lancashire 0 0 2 8 
			 East London & The City 1 1 1 1 
			 East Riding & Hull 0 0 3 10 
			 East Sussex, Brighton & Hove 0 0 0 2 
			 Gloucestershire 0 18 21 26 
			 Herefordshire 0 0 13 19 
			 Isle of Wight, Portsmouth & SE Hampshire 0 5 8 12 
			 Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham 28 35 35 26 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 0 3 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 6 9 
			 Liverpool 3 4 15 29 
			 Manchester 0 2 2 3 
			 Morecambe Bay 0 0 0 5 
			 Newcastle & North Tyneside 0 0 0 6 
			 Norfolk 0 0 7 10 
			 North & East Devon 0 0 0 11 
			 North Cheshire 0 0 0 19 
			 North Cumbria 0 0 1 1 
			 North Derbyshire 0 5 5 6 
			 North Essex 3 3 3 4 
			 North Staffordshire 0 0 18 21 
			 North West Lancashire 0 0 1 1 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 0 8 
			 Northamptonshire 0 3 3 4 
			 Northumberland 1 1 0 0 
			 Nottingham 0 0 0 5 
			 Oxfordshire 0 0 16 21 
			 Salford & Trafford 0 1 1 5 
			 Sandwell 0 0 0 3 
			 Sefton 0 4 4 7 
			 Shropshire 1 5 7 7 
			 Solihull 0 0 0 62 
			 Somerset 0 0 0 9 
			 South & West Devon 0 0 0 19 
			 South Cheshire 24 20 24 32 
			 South Lancashire 4 3 3 5 
			 South Staffordshire 0 0 13 14 
			 Southampton & South West Hampshire 0 18 21 21 
			 Southern Derbyshire 2 4 9 12 
			 St Helens & Knowsley 0 7 13 27 
			 Suffolk 0 2 2 5 
			 Tees 5 5 8 11 
			 Walsall 0 0 0 6 
			 Warwickshire 11 12 14 20 
			 West Pennine 0 0 1 1 
			 West Surrey 0 0 0 49 
			 West Sussex 0 11 15 18 
			 Wiltshire 0 3 5 10 
			 Wirral 0 10 12 14 
			 Wolverhampton 0 3 6 6 
			 Worcestershire 0 0 20 26 
		
	
	1. Number at 31 March each year.

Dentistry

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  What the total gross fees authorised for payment for personal dental services were for England and Wales in each year since 1998:
	(2)  What the total gross fees authorised for payment for dental access centres were for England and Wales in each year since 1998.

David Lammy: The figure for this is not available. Dentists working in dental access centres and other personal dental services pilots are salaried employees of primary care trusts and National Health Service trusts. Their income is not drawn from fees.

Dentistry

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mean number of decayed, missing and filled primary teeth was for children aged five, broken down by health authority, in every year since 1996; and what percentage of children aged five had no experience of tooth decay, broken down by health authority, in each year since 1996.

David Lammy: The British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD) carries out a survey every second year to monitor the dental caries experience of five year-old children. The latest results are for 1999–00.
	Information on the mean number of decayed, missing or filled teeth for five year-old children by health authority trust for the years 1995–96, 1997–98 and 1999–00 has been placed in the Library.
	Information on the percentage of five year-old children with no decayed, missing or filled teeth for 1995–96, 1997–98 and 1999–00 has been placed in the Library.
	Figures for National Health Service trusts have been provided where the health authority figures are not available.

Chiropody

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many chiropodists were working in the NHS in 2000; and how many are working in the NHS on the most recent date for which figures are available.

John Hutton: In 2000 there were 3,470 chiropodists working in the National Health Service. As at 30 September 2001, the most recent information, the total chiropodist workforce had increased by 90 (3 per cent.), to 3560.

Chiropody

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to use the services of independent state regulated chiropodists and podiatrists in meeting local service needs.

John Hutton: The NHS Plan document XDelivering the NHS Plan" states that primary care trusts will be free to purchase care from public, private or voluntary providers as appropriate. Decisions can be taken locally on how best to meet local service needs.

Chiropody

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he plans to give to strategic health authorities and primary care trusts on the minimum levels of chiropody and podiatry services that should be provided in each area.

John Hutton: We have no plans to issue any guidance to strategic health authorities or primary care trusts on minimum levels of chiropody and podiatry services. However, chiropody/podiatry services are essential parts of the national service frameworks for older people and diabetes. The department has also launched a National Primary and Care Trust programme (NatPaCT) designed to support PCTs in delivering their key functions which will be:
	Improving the health of the community;
	Securing the provision of high quality services;
	Integrating health and social care locally.
	As local organisations, PCTs are best placed to understand the needs of their patient populations. This will ensure that the right services are delivered to the right people in the right location at the right time.

Waiting Times

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were waiting for in-patient treatment for more than 15 months at the Portsmouth Hospital Trust, at the latest date for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: The Department's Directorate of Health and Social Care for the south of England makes an analysis of fifteen month waits at the end of each month. The analysis for the end of April 2002, the most recent month for which information is currently available, indicted that no patients were waiting over fifteen months for inpatient treatment at the trust.

Clinical Records

David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances information on (a) medical and (b) other clinical records may be released without the knowledge and consent of the patient concerned; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Information in medical or other clinical records may be released without the knowledge and consent of the patient concerned where the information concerned does not identify him or her. Where the information might identify the patient any release must satisfy the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and if the information is also held under obligations of confidentiality any release must comply with common law requirements. Additionally, the provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998 must be satisfied, there must not be a statutory prohibition against the release of information and, in the case of a public sector body, the body must have the vires to release information for the purpose in question.

NHS Staff

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the results of the 2000–01 survey of violent incidents, accidents involving staff and sickness absence in NHS trusts and health authorities in England.

John Hutton: The results of the Department of Health's survey of reported violent or abusive incidents, accidents involving staff and sickness absence in National Health Service trusts and health authorities in England in 2000–01 will be placed in the Library.
	The survey found that there were 84,273 reported violent or abusive incidents against staff in 2000–01. Details of the number of reported violent or abusive incidents, accidents involving staff, and sickness absence by type of NHS trust are shown in the following tables. There were 108,743 reported accidents involving staff during the same period. The sickness absence rate, measured during calendar year 2000, was 4.68 per cent.
	
		Number of reported violent or abusive incidents in 2000–01, by type of NHS Trust
		
			 Type of NHS Trust Total number of reported 1 incidents in the year Estimated number of incidents per 1,000 staff per month 1 
		
		
			 Acute 22,338 5 
			 Multi-service 12,019 8 
			 Ambulance 3,882 13 
			 Community/mental health2 37,053 23 
			 Mental health/learning disability 7,766 27 
			 All NHS Trusts3 84,214 10 
		
	
	Notes:
	1 Some NHS Trusts were unable to supply data. In particular, some community Trusts were undergoing re-configuration. Figures in this table are for those NHS Trusts which provided figures.
	2 Some Xcommunity" NHS Trusts also provide mental health and/or learning disability services.
	3 Includes figures for the small number of Primary Care Trusts which were able to supply data.
	
		Number of reported accidents involving staff in 2000–01, by type of NHS Trust
		
			 Type of NHS Trust Total number of reported1 accidents in the year Estimated number of accidents per 1,000 staff per month1 
		
		
			 Acute 51,889 12 
			 Multi-service 21,032 14 
			 Ambulance 5,746 21 
			 Community2 22,757 15 
			 Mental health/learning disability 2,996 11 
			 All NHS Trusts3 106,348 13 
		
	
	Notes:
	1 Some NHS Trusts were unable to supply data. In particular, some community Trusts were undergoing re-configuration. Figures in this table are for those NHS Trusts which provided figures.
	2 Some Xcommunity" NHS Trusts also provide mental health and/or learning disability services.
	3 Includes figures for the small number of Primary Care Trusts which were able to supply data.
	
		Average sickness absence rate in 2000, by type of NHS Trust
		
			 Type of NHS Trust Estimated average sickness absence rate (%) 
		
		
			 Acute 4.46 
			 Multi-service 4.67 
			 Ambulance 6.80 
			 Community 5.09 
			 Mental health/learning disability 5.23 
			 All NHS Trusts3 4.73 
		
	
	Notes:
	1 Some NHS Trusts were unable to supply data. In particular, some community Trusts were undergoing re-configuration. Figures in this table are for those NHS Trusts which provided figures.
	2 Some Xcommunity" NHS Trusts also provide mental health and/or learning disability services.
	3 Includes figures for the small number of Primary Care Trusts which were able to supply data.

Resourcing Terminology

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the difference is between (a) earmarked, (b) hypothecated and (c) ring-fenced in health service resourcing terminology.

John Hutton: Resource allocation to the National Health Service in recent years has used the term Xearmarked" to refer to funds identified at health authority level with an intention that they be spent on the purpose for which they are allocated; the term Xhypothecated" to refer to funds identified at national level with an intention that they be spent on the purpose for which they are allocated; and the term Xring fenced" to refer to funds identified by direction under section 97(6) of the National Health Service Act 1977 and which can only be used for the purpose for which they are issued.

NHS Consultants

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS consultants were formally appraised in (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000, (d) 2000–01 and (e) 2001–02.

John Hutton: A number of local schemes for the appraisal of National Health Service consultants were in place prior to the introduction of a national system of formal appraisal for NHS consultants in April 2001.
	Precise information about the number of consultants appraised in the introductory year of the national scheme, or under the local schemes which preceded it, is not collected by the Department. Chief executives of NHS trusts are accountable for ensuring that all consultants are appraised.
	We plan to undertake a scoping exercise later this year to ascertain how the NHS has implemented the arrangements.

Pathology Tests

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many instances unregistered staff have performed tasks usually associated with state-registered pathologists in (a) March 1999 to March 2000, (b) March 2000 to March 2001 and (c) March 2001 to March 2002; and at which hospitals.

John Hutton: This information is not collected by the Department. Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) Ltd (CPA), which is the largest accrediting body for UK pathology laboratories providing diagnostic testing for patients, does ask individual services for this information as part of its methodology.
	In carrying out their inspections, CPA have encountered a very small number of cases of unregistered staff performing tasks usually associated with state-registered pathology staff. It has checked each circumstance individually before confirming the staff member's suitability to carry out their work. CPA has taken all necessary steps to ensure that patient safety is not compromised and that quality standards are maintained.
	The Department is committed to ensuring that patients are properly protected and receive high quality diagnostic services, founded upon a strengthened system of state-registration in the form of the Health Professions Council (HPC), which ensures staff are suitably fit to practise.

National Institute for Clinical Excellence

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the funding for NICE-recommended drugs, treatments and technologies has been allocated to audiology services in each NHS trust.

John Hutton: holding answer 24 May 2002
	Directions have been issued obliging health authorities and primary care trusts to provide appropriate funding for treatments recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. A weighted capitation formula is used to determine each health authority and primary care trust's fair share of available resources, to enable them to commission similar levels of services for populations in equal need. The funding was not allocated by speciality.
	The National Health Service will receive an annual average increase of 7.5 per cent. above inflation over the five years 2003–04 to 2007–08. This is now the largest ever sustained increase in NHS funding.

Medical Devices Agency

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to restructure the Medical Devices Agency.

David Lammy: holding answer 24 May 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Minister for Health gave my hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire Moorlands (Miss Atkins) today.

Cosmetic Treatment

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on the marketing of the cosmetic treatment Dysport by the Centre for Advanced Microbiology and Research; and what will happen to any profits made by its sale.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 24 May 2002
	The Centre for Applied Microbiology & Research (CAMR) manufactures Dysport which is then marketed by Ispen Limited both for use in certain medical treatments, and for ancillary non medical use.
	Any income derived by CAMR from any of its activities goes towards the cost of running and maintaining the centre.

Cancer

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the role and responsibilities are of the National Cancer Institute;
	(2)  what progress has been made in meeting staffing goals for cancer specialists; and how future progress will be assessed;
	(3)  what steps he takes to monitor the way in which NHS trusts deploy funds allocated to deliver on Cancer Plan targets; and how trusts are made answerable for cancer funding spent on other services or financial requirements;
	(4)  what plans he has to publish annual figures for national expenditure on cancer research, indicating where money is spent;
	(5)  what steps are being taken to raise the profile of the National Cancer Institute amongst those not directly involved in its work;
	(6)  what plans he has to develop more extensive and accessible clinical trials databases for cancer research to inform researchers and patients;
	(7)  if he plans to publish a map of the regional cancer networks;
	(8)  what plans he has to review his policy on a national cancer act, with specific reference to (a) cancer registration, (b) funding for the cancer research infrastructure and (c) a cancer research strategy;
	(9)  how the core funding of the national translational cancer research networks is determined; and how frequently it is to be reviewed.

Hazel Blears: The Government's response to the First Report of the Science and Technology Committee on Cancer Research—A Follow Up has been published today, and copies will be placed in the Library.

Medical Agencies

Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the management of the Medicines Control Agency and the Medical Devices Agency; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has decided to merge the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) and the Medical Devices Agency (MDA), to take effect from 1 April 2003. The regulation of medicines and of medical devices are separate fields, working to different legislation, but as technology develops, there are likely to be growing numbers of products that cross the borderline between medicines and devices. Most other European countries have gone down the path of managing these responsibilities in a single organisation, as has the United States. We want to build on the excellence of both organisations in the protection of public health, and ensure that the new agency is well placed to respond to change and retain the UK's leading position.
	The post of Chief Executive will be filled through open competition. The new organisation will also have improved governance arrangements, with non-executive members on the board and a new post of Chairman, who we expect to be an authoritative figure able not only to Chair the board and oversee its work but also to represent the organisation and its decisions in public.

Organ Donor Register

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people are on the NHS organ donor register; and what percentage of the population this represents, broken down by local authority area;
	(2)  how many people have been on the organ donor register for the last five years for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 14 March 2002
	The number of patients on the NHS Organ Donor Register at the end of the last five years are as follows:
	
		
			 End of year Number registered (million) 
		
		
			 1997 4.67 
			 1998 5.54 
			 1999 8.48 
			 2000 8.03 
			 2001 9.02 
		
	
	There are currently 9.2 million people registered on the NHS Organ Donor Register. This represents 15.3 per cent. of the population.
	The figures are not available broken down by local authority. A table of the figures broken down by region is attached.
	
		
			 Region Number Percentage of population 
		
		
			 Northern & Yorkshire 835,870 13.4 
			 Trent 637,321 12.4 
			 Eastern 806,534 15.3 
			 London 910,432 12.9 
			 South East 1,401,383 16.4 
			 South West 916,436 18.7 
			 West Midlands 641,611 12.1 
			 North West 920,939 13.9 
			 Channel Isles & Isle of Man 5,225 2.5 
			 England 7,088,436 14.3 
			 Wales 474,722 16.3 
			 Scotland 908,269 17.8 
			 Northern Ireland 151,793 9.1 
			 Not available 394,004 
			 Total 9,022,479 15.3

Child Protection Register

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of children were re-registered on the Child Protection Register in the year ending March 1999.

Jacqui Smith: The proportion of children who were re-registered on the child protection register during the year ending 31 March 1999 was 15 per cent.

Tamoxifen

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the criteria for the use of Tamoxifen;
	(2)  what plans he has for the use of Tamoxifen for women who do not have breast cancer but are considered to be at high risk.

Yvette Cooper: Tamoxifen is licensed for the treatment of breast cancer and the treatment of anovulatory infertility.
	Tamoxifen is not licensed for the prevention of breast cancer in women who do not have breast cancer. A large international research trial is currently investigating whether Tamoxifen can prevent cancer in healthy women who are considered to be at high risk. When the full trial results are published we will consider what action may be appropriate and estimate the cost implications.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what new initiatives his Department has taken in 2001–02 to assist in achieving its Public Service Agreement targets.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Department's Annual Report for 2001, and the NHS Modernisation Board's Annual Report 2000–01 (XThe NHS Plan—A Progress Report") both set out the many steps we are taking to achieve our objectives. The next Departmental report, to be published shortly, will set out the latest progress.